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From the release of "Ghost in the Shell" and "Blade Runner 2049" in 2017, to the "Wandering Earth" that opened the Chinese science fiction fever, to the 6 Oscars won "Dune", movies and games continue to give science fiction literature a unique visual style. These rich and distinctive styles have influenced the aesthetics of countless people in real life.
Stills from Dune
Therefore, science fiction aesthetics have also become one of the important styles of product design. However, the entry of science fiction elements into reality is often not smooth sailing, and if it is not well applied, it is easy to produce a feeling of "soil". If you want to apply science fiction elements in product design, you must first start with the science fiction aesthetic itself.
Illustration of the first edition of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea in 1871
Science fiction is science fiction, and fiction is the most important position of early science fiction, so the science fiction aesthetic is also attached to the cover and illustration of the novel and began its own embryonic stage. 19th-century painters followed science fiction writers into their imaginations. This stage of science fiction is mainly concerned with those lost worlds, such as Verne's "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea", which depicts an unknown world hidden deep under the sea, and the Nautilus submarine has become the enlightenment of many people's science fiction creations.
Stills from Star Wars
In the 1950s, the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union began the space race, which also ignited the enthusiasm of science fiction for space. Most of the works in this period are based on space travel and space adventure, and the mainstream science fiction aesthetic style of "space opera" has gradually taken shape. Most works of this period tend to present the contrast between "man-made" and "cosmic", such as giant machinery wandering in the vast universe, and giant buildings towering majestically on a certain planet. The most representative classics are "Star Trek", "2001: A Space Odyssey", "Star Wars" and so on.
Stills from Blade Runner
At the end of the 20th century, the development of computer technology gradually turned the world to network technology. In 1984, William Gibson published his science fiction novel Neuromancer, and the term "cyberpunk" became popular ever since. In 1982, "Blade Runner" was released and became the most representative science fiction film of that period. The film's art concept designer, Sid Mead, has an industrial design background, and his designs have a strong sense of futurism, and the film's streamlined vehicles shuttle between the neon of the city, laying the foundation for the cyberpunk aesthetic.
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For today's designers, if they want to integrate science fiction aesthetics into products, in addition to understanding the science fiction aesthetics itself, they must also think from a deeper level, what elements can reflect the science fiction aesthetics and futurism of the product?
DeLorean DMC-12
For example, the DeLorean DMC-12 car, which was born in 1976, was transformed into a time machine in the movie "Back to the Future" and became a classic of a generation. The gull wing door design, pure stainless steel body and tough lines give the car a strong sense of the future, and half a century later, it is still eye-catching.
Spaceships in Dune
In the current mainstream film and television works, whether it is a spaceship or a magnificent building, the design style is gradually moving towards simplicity. Simple geometric lines, a few strokes to outline a very oppressive image of space. The metallic reflection under the faint light of the universe also sets off the mystery of space navigation.
Jobs released the MacBook Air
In 2008, Jobs pulled out a stunning four-seater product from a paper office envelope, the first-generation MacBook Air. Minimalist lines and near-perfect workmanship have made the design of this product continue to this day, and it is even more difficult to surpass in the field of notebooks.
"Simplicity" and "metallicity" are essential elements for products to create a sense of sci-fi and futurism, and in the cyberpunk world, "mechanical" and "neon" are well-deserved protagonists.
PANDAER X Flash Pole 130W Visible Power Bank
For example, the visual charging treasure of the flash pole adopts a fully transparent shell, the internal precision components are clearly visible, the all-aluminum alloy skeleton shows the beauty of the machinery, and the bright and contrasting parameter display creates a very cyberpunk-style design.
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In addition to the several products mentioned above, there is also a sci-fi product that must be mentioned, that is, the XOG · Speed X headset.
The Elvis Presley XOG headphones have a space battleship-like appearance, the shell is stamped from a metal body, and the simple and calm lines cut out a futuristic visual effect. The silver-gray fuselage shows a different luster in the streamer, and the lines on the sides add a bit of mystery.
Elvis Presley XOG headphones remind the battery in a way that is also quite special, the two light strips on the waist of the headphones can not only eye-catchingly indicate your power, but also a unique modification of the appearance of the headphone compartment.
In addition to the unique appearance of The Elvis Presley XOG headphones, the way they open is even more distinctive. When you get a headset, the flap will be your subconscious action, and the cookie-cutter product will inevitably seem a little boring. The Elvis XOG headphones adopt a mechanical slide rail cabin design, a gentle push, a "click" to open the lid, followed by a dashing "click" to close the lid. The crisp feel brought by the Japanese Seiko M-type spring even makes the Elvis Presley XOG headphones a small decompression toy.
Of course, the sense of futurism is not only reflected in the surface, Elvis XOG headphones also pioneered the use of iChem antibacterial and antiviral material in headphones, which is also the first time this material has been applied to the skin-friendly contact surface of headphones. Silver ions in Chem's antibacterial and antiviral materials can penetrate into bacteria or viruses, destroy their proteins, interfere with nucleic acid synthesis, and eventually cause their degeneration and inactivation to die.
In addition to health and safety, Elvis Presley XOG headphones are also very wearing. The single-sided headphones weigh only 4.2g, and the semi-in-ear design is also more friendly to many users who do not like earbuds, and can be worn for a long time almost without feeling. Whether it's entertainment, office, or fitness, you may even forget it's on your ears.
Next, we actually listened to it, and here we chose the more classic "Ferry" and "California Hotel" two test songs.
The first is "Ferry", in addition to the melodious voice of Cai Qin, the drum sound in the song can test the bass effect very well. The Elvis Presley XOG headphones perform well in the reverberation of the prelude drums, and the low-frequency elasticity exceeds the expectations of this headphone. You can clearly feel the drumsticks beating on the surface of the drum, and the distance between the instrument and the vocals is handled just right.
Next up is the live version of Hotel California. In the previous guitar session, Elvis Presley XOG headphones performed well, clearly distinguishing the guitar tone and vocals. In addition, Elvis Presley XOG headphones have a good sense of presence, and the sound of instruments, vocals and audience applause meet perfectly, perfectly reproducing the performance scene.
In addition to the above mentioned, Elvis Presley XOG headphones also have ENC call noise reduction, game low latency, IPX4 waterproof and easy-to-use touch operation, which can be well integrated into various use scenarios in life.
To sum up, Elvis Presley XOG headphones break through the cookie-cutter design of Bluetooth headphones in appearance, not for "science fiction" and science fiction, but really integrate the thinking of science fiction aesthetics into the product, bringing a mechanical slide cabin with an all-metal appearance, and creatively introducing iChem antibacterial and antiviral materials in terms of health. Of course, as a Bluetooth headset, the long-term comfortable wearing experience and the sound quality of the level make it the first choice for young people to enter the Bluetooth headset.
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Elvis Presley once became one of the most popular consumer electronics brands among female users with its highly recognizable appearance. The sub-brand Elvis Presley XOG focuses on winning the market of new digital consumption in the future, helping big boys who love science fiction and trends to achieve the future lifestyle they yearn for.
The name XOG is taken from the initials of X of Galaxy, meaning unknown interstellar, symbolizing the exploration of new areas of the future.
Liu Cixin once said: "I believe that the boundless space is still the best destination and destination for the human imagination." ”
No matter what era, people's pursuit of science fiction will never be outdated. At the same time, excellent product design that integrates the aesthetics of science fiction will also be more sought after in the gradually homogenized market.