Meet Tomorrow's Gadgets

Here's a look at some of the most innovative home appliances on the market today -- and some being dreamed up for tomorrow

By Ariane Sains

Appliance maker Electrolux thinks a sharper design is the key to a better bottom line. Senior Vice-President for Global Design Henrik Otto, recruited from Volvo, believes consumers shouldn't have to waste time poring over instruction manuals to learn how to run their appliances. Features and control panels should be intuitive, he says.

To get there, the Swedish company has launched the Consumer Innovation Program, where teams made up of designers, engineers, and marketers work together from the beginning to create new products.

Johan Hjertonsson, director of the Consumer Innovation Program, says the number of new product launches has almost doubled since the program took effect. Notable hits include the Pronto combination stick/hand vacuum and the ICON wall oven.

While developing products for sale today, Electrolux also is keeping a sharp eye on the future. In last year's Design Lab contest, the company challenged university students from around the world to conjure up the home appliances of 2020. Of the more than 3,000 entries, just 12 made it to the final judging. But don't expect see any of these futuristic gadgets on store shelves any time soon.

For a look at some of Electrolux's current winners and future prospects, check out the following slides.

Ariane Sains tracks Swedish business and economics for BusinessWeek in Stockholm