CREEPY PRODUCT OF THE DAY: THE SMART BABY CASE, A POD FOR BABIES

Like so many design competitions, it's not the winners but the weirdoes that emerged from Samsonite's second-annual open call that have us fascinated. Samsonite's Baby Travel Design Competition yielded 1,700 entries from 78 countries and the company recently crowned eight winners, including (yawn) a baby air seat and bassinette.

But look at this entry, which takes the cake for creepiness. The Smart Baby Case, by Iranian designer Pouyan Mokhtarani, is intended to keep your infant protected in the event of disasters, such as chemical warfare. We're talking an LED screen that monitors air quality inside the pod, an auto-rocking unit that can soothe babies sans adult humans, and even an auto-diaper that can flush away waste via tubes (gross). Liquid-filled padding around the head and a soft, flexible interior keeps your tot intact in case of a drop-kick or bomb attack.

"There is a bit of a misunderstanding in that this is not a device for growing children during their whole life," Mokhtarani clarifies on Yanko Design. "It is just a device which can provide a safe and healthy condition during 2 or 3 hours while you can't change your baby or staying in some poor facilities or places during a trip or airport."

Of course, if we saw someone rolling a baby through the airport in what looks like a nanny pod from the Matrix, we'd call security.

COMMENTARY:  I have heard about carry-on luggage, but carry-on baby may become the next new trend?  NOT.  This protective baby pod is indeed a creepy new product.  The Smart Baby Case's ability to protect an infant in the event of disasters, such as a chemical attack, by monitoring and filtering the air, that is going over the top, or what? 

I consult for a lot of inventor's, and I always ask inventor's what is the real need your are filling or problem you are solving in the marketplace. Do parent's really need this kind of product? 

One plus, is the encapsulated baby, that muffles those terrible crying sounds every time they need a diaper change.  Maybe that's it, the problem this product solves. The sound muffling baby carrier.  That's the ticket.   Just joking, of course.

I have a problem visualizing how that diaper poop cleaner works, and what happens to all that poop. Nothing like the tried and proven personal touch of a parent changing the baby's diaper.  I don't see that changing.

I don't know what The Smart Baby Case costs, but I bet it is a bit pricey with all those high-tech features. But, I am willing to bet you a case of bananas, that some parents with the financial means, will buy this product.  

Courtesy of an article dated December 7, 2009 appearing in Fast Company

Comments

[Rosy J.]

What I see is really not imaginable. I would have never thought of getting such a different concept upon the baby couch. It is really like, I can say benefiting the parents for taking them with care. But the product or invention should not be sound proof or else it will affect the child emotions. Further it should not be taken as an initiative for the babies as described above, it should be used only at times when baby is unfit or at airport,etc.

[Tommy]

dieters dishes,

Thanks for the nice compliment. Hope you will continue to visit my blog regularly. Tommy

[dieters dishes]

This is so great that I had to comment. I’m usually just a lurker, taking in knowledge and nodding my head in quiet approval at the good stuff…..this required written props. Thanks.

[Jim Savage]

This is pure GENIUS!

[Tommy Toy]

Katie,

Thank you for your recent comments about that high-tech, baby carrier/pod, thing.  You beat me to the punchline about the built-in auto-diaper "flush away" feature.  I am trying to visualize how that messy process works and what happens to all that poop.  In short, this is a crazy product concept that went arry, trying to solve too many problems and with too much "out-of-mind" thinking. It is like a concept car, very cool and beautiful to look at, but not very practical. I can clearly see a baby revolt.  Thanks, again.  Tommy   

[Katiebell]

Oh Gosh!   Amazing that anyone even though about such an item.  Does it come in both pink and blue?the auto diaper sounds like it would clog up right away.  Well....I'd agree with you, someone is going to buy this.  Perhaps just a gas mask would be enough?