Leading international designer Assa Ashuach presents a dynamic keynote speech on the latest advances and innovations in digital product design and manufacture.

Assa is one of the driving forces behind Digital Forming®, whose revolutionary new technology, unveiled last autumn at the Science

Museum, allow anyone to co-design or at least personalise household products prior to their one-off manufacture. The website where this will www.UCODO.com goes live this year.

Assa explains ‘ Digital forming was set up to democratise the personalisation of everyday products. As customers gradually demand greater freedom of choice, designers and brands are faced with new challenges in product diversity, responding through innovative product assembly strategies. This is genuine co-creation but we don’t intend to put designers out of business- we believe that while designers will still do 90 per cent of the work with consumers could add their 10 per cent to make the object their own. Who knows one day every home may have the technology to customise and manufacture their own household items?

The revolution starts here.’

‘ I see this is a real opportunity for designers to connect directly to users. the scenario has changed, young designers are mainly recruited by large brands for internal design positions. The ‘free’ independent designer signature has a lower distribution and impact today. With our Digital Forming® technology designers can connect to home users directly from their desktop.’

Words, Michael Upton, Comunication director of the  London Metropolitan Art, Media & Design http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/jcamd/