Magic Glove

My team of fellow students and I had the opportunity to take part in the Siemens Home Appliances Design Award. It challenges young designers to envision the future of home living, calling for concepts that combine intelligent technology, cutting-edge design, and intuitive user interaction.

Within a 3-month design sprint, our task was to rethink the kitchen environment and explore how emerging technologies can improve everyday experiences.

To ground our concept in real needs, we interviewed a wide range of people (from kindergarten children to seniors) to understand where the kitchen experience could be improved. These conversations gave us valuable insights into moments of friction, but also unexpected inspiration.

One of the most memorable ideas came from a group of children who wished they could "do magic in the kitchen." This playful vision sparked the core idea behind Magic Glove: a tool that feels as empowering and intuitive as magic, while solving real-world problems.

Rather than adding another device to the kitchen, Magic Glove reimagines the hand as the central interface. It enhances human capabilities through cut- and heat-resistant materials, built-in sensors, and an adaptive display.

Based on our interviews we consolidated core functions (such as weighing, temperature sensing, timing, and food condition monitoring) into a single wearable object. Through gesture-based control and real-time feedback, the glove allows for uninterrupted cooking while promoting safety, sustainability, and smart assistance.

To explore the ergonomic and functional aspects of the concept, we began with material studies. This allowed us to evaluate comfort, fit and flexibility.

With low-fidelity paper prototypes we tested screen visibility and user feedback under real kitchen conditions.

For the functional prototype, we used flex sensors and an accelerometer to detect hand gestures. A pressure-sensitive sensor was embedded into the palm to test the weighing function. Visual and haptic feedback were tested through LED strips and vibration motors, ensuring communication was clear yet unobtrusive.

Magic Glove transforms the human hand, already one of our most precise, sensitive, and versatile tools, into a smart kitchen interface. By enhancing its natural abilities with protective materials, sensors, and gesture control, the glove allows users to interact effortlessly with food and appliances.

The concept was awarded second place in the Siemens Home Appliances Design Award 2018 for its innovative approach.

Team: Anja Lietzau, Katja Niggl, Melanie Pfnür, Sabrina Reischl, and Verena Pues.