Italian designers Paolo Ulian and Moreno Ratti have created a collection of prototype products made from unwanted marble tiles. More about Discarded marble tiles form products by Paolo Ulian and Moreno Ratti
Movie: in our final exclusive video interview with Alberto Alessi, the president of the Italian design brand recalls the controversy surrounding Philippe Starck's stylish but impractical lemon squeezer, saying he considers it to be "a big joke". More about Philippe Starck's Juicy Salif was "the most controversial lemon squeezer of the century"
Movie: Alberto Alessi discusses the popularity of Michael Graves' kettle with a bird-shaped whistle in the penultimate movie from our series of exclusive video interviews with the president of the Italian design brand. More about Michael Graves' kettle for Alessi was "a best-seller for 15 years"
Kingston University graduate Jake Rich has redesigned the common household microwave – adding wheels, a domed removable lid and a light that changes intensity with the power (+ slideshow). More about Mediumwave by Jake Rich is a pod-shaped microwave on wheels
Movie: Alberto Alessi tells the story behind Richard Sapper's harmonic whistling kettle in our second exclusive video interview with the president of the Italian design brand. More about Richard Sapper "wanted to design a multi-sensorial kettle" for Alessi
Movie: in the first of a series of exclusive video interviews, Alessi president Alberto Alessi explains why Richard Sapper's iconic 1978 coffee maker for the Italian brand is so important to him. More about Richard Sapper's espresso maker is an "homage to my grandfather" says Alberto Alessi
Activity trackers are becoming more personal – instead of fitting around the wrist, this grenade-shaped product inserts into the vagina to help strengthen pelvic floor muscles and vibrates to give workout feedback. More about Vibrating kGoal activity tracker monitors vaginal exercises
Royal College of Art graduate Yu-Chang Chou has developed a "return and reuse" packaging system to help online retailers reduce waste (+ movie). More about Yu-Chang Chou develops a reusable packaging service for sustainable online shopping
Lego Minifigures can be hacked to create holders for iPhone charging cables, Sugru users have discovered. More about Lego Minifigures hacked with Sugru to create iPhone cable holders
Azusa Murakami and Alexander Groves of Studio Swine have revisited the process they developed to make optical frames from human hair to create a new range of accessories (+ movie). More about Studio Swine extends collection of products made from hair
This kettle by Kingston University graduate Anna Czaniecka is shaped like two mugs so the user can precisely measure how much water to boil for cups of tea. More about Anna Czaniecka shapes kettle like mugs to save water when making tea
This inflatable bag by Royal College of Art graduate Peng You is designed to keep electronic devices safe from knocks and bumps. More about Peng You's Fugu bag inflates to protect your gadgets
Royal College of Art graduate Ayca Dundar has redesigned the umbrella, paring it back to a pop-up canopy with six parts so it can recover from being blown inside out (+ movie). More about Drop umbrella by Ayca Dundar is made of just six parts
Prolific Japanese design studio Nendo seems set on proving it can design anything, adding to its portfolio a boat shoe for luxury brand Tod's and a glass chess set for crystal house Baccarat. More about Nendo adds boat shoes and a crystal chess set to its diverse portfolio
Royal College of Art student Yen Chen Chang has used conductive yarns and threads to create tactile interfaces for electronic products that work by stroking, stretching or squeezing knitted objects (+ movie). More about Yen Chen Chang's knitted sensors control everyday electronic products
Los Angeles based furniture designer David Okum has reimagined the extension cable to create a flexible row of wooden spheres and cubes containing multiple sockets that also prevent the cable from tangling. More about Okum redesigns the common extension cable
Design graduate Mireia Gordi i Vila presents a flexible and reusable packaging system for valuable goods at the Royal College of Art (RCA) show in London, which opened today (+ slideshow). More about Reusable Fragile packaging forms a protective skin around delicate objects
News: US technology firm Honeywell has released a minimal smart thermostat that learns household routines, a rival to Nest's similar connected home product. More about Honeywell joins connected-home market with Lyric smart thermostat
Icelandic studio Hlutagerðin has designed this leather and lambskin armour to keep teapots warm and protect tablets from coffee table scrapes (+ slideshow). More about Hlutagerðin recreates ancient Icelandic armour for tea cosy and tablet case
First the connected home; now the connected garden: designer Yves Behar and entrepreneur Jason Aramburu have created products that monitor soil conditions and automatically water plants when they get thirsty (+ movie). More about Yves Behar moves towards the connected garden with Edyn