The current technological trends demonstrate one thing above all: AI-driven products, robotics and natural interaction are at the heart of innovation. A robot vacuum cleaner with a gripper arm, an AI assistant that moves freely around the home or a children’s toy that recognizes people and objects. This seems like something from another world and leaves many people with mixed feelings. Never before has technology changed our interaction with products so fundamentally.
In a future in which we communicate with objects more and more naturally, key design questions are coming into focus: How can autonomous, proactive products be designed responsibly? To what extent can technology feel “human”? And in which areas of application is there the greatest potential for self-thinking & self-acting products? Digital design is no longer limited to screens - it is increasingly becoming a central element of product design.
In this project course, students focused in particular on the question: How should products be designed when the inanimate object becomes a partner? And which use cases can actually be meaningful, responsible and problem-solving applications for “living products”.
LIA is a physical, interactive learning companion designed to support language learners through personalized, emotionally aware, and culturally integrated experiences. Developed by three students as part of the Product Design Four course at HfG Schwäbisch Gmünd, LIA combines individual learning styles with real-world language application.
The concept emerged from a shared frustration with traditional language learning methods, which often fail to consider emotional needs and cultural context. LIA addresses this gap by offering a “living product” that adapts to its user — both in solo use and in group-based learning environments. Through capacitive touch, laser projection, and smart onboarding, the device delivers tailored content, tracks progress, and encourages real-life application.
With LIA, everyone gets their own “piece of language.” Whether at home, in class, or on the go, learners are supported in a way that helps them not only understand words, but truly connect with the culture behind them.
