October 25, 2000 At a ceremony that served to kick off the Giftionery Taipei Autumn show at the Taipei World Trade Center on October 25, awards were handed out to the winners of the Inno-Design 2000 Competition. Sponsored by the China External Trade Development Council (CETRA), the screening process for entries began on September 6. The main goal of the competition was for contestants to design their works to feature daily life activities and to express their views on new commercial gift and computerized stationery design. The autumn contest differed from the Youth Whiz Design Competition held at the Giftionery Taipei Spring show in that the designers entering the autumn event were not necessarily all students. Although the designs at the spring competition were equally innovative, the more professional, sleek presentation of the autumn event was evident in the showcasing of the products. Several of the winning designers were on hand throughout the Giftionery show to describe their creations and to discuss manufacturing possibilities with prospective buyers. In an introductory speech at the ceremony, the director of the Business Development Department at CETRA commented on the importance of producing high-tech items, and increasing global awareness of Taiwan manufacturers'brand names. The director also emphasized several industry trends that have become popular this year, including fashionable, multi-function and computer-related products. Among the 123 entries for the Neo-model Commercial Gift and Commercial Computerized Stationery Design Competition (Inno-Design 2000), five were chosen for the top three prizes, which included cash awards. Eleven entries were selected to receive honorable mentions in recognition of their outstanding design qualities. First place went to the design team of Kuo Hsien-hung and Kao Yun-ping for the"Memo Pen". Created with "green design" in mind, the pen is a combination of a writing instrument and stick-it post paper, which is used to compose the shaft of the pen. The designers believe that if used as a commercial handout, the product could effectively "enhance a company's corporate image for environmental protection". In addition, the penholder has been fashioned for easy carriage and storage. Second place went to Hou Hsiang-fei for the"Fruit Plate"and Lin Yi-fang for the"Graphic Capsule". The Fruit Plate was designed using the concept of "overlapping and cloning", which translates into an item that combines visual beauty and practical value. The Graphic Capsule is an air-inflatable pouch that ensures the safe carriage and protection of documents while traveling. When not in use, the pouch can be deflated and placed inside hand-carried luggage. Third place was also shared by two creations-the "Sharp Letter Balance & Opener" designed by Lin Fang-hui, and the "Easy Dreamer" by Huang Kuo-yu and Lin Chia-chun. The shark-shaped, multi-function Sharp Letter Balance & Opener serves as a paperweight, using the theory of "leverage movement", and as a letter opener and staple remover. The Easy Dreamer is a simple bedtime story-telling machine designed with children in mind. The device acts as a "parent" sitting by a child's bedside, telling a story to which the child can fall asleep. Users can select various different stories by using the touch button screen. Honorable mention products included an artistic stationery set, tape dispensers, fashionable storage containers, a CD disk house, a bottle opener, wire-wrapping devices, an outdoor lantern and a beverage holder designed for use in automobiles. Patents are pending on many of the items.
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