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Konica Minolta Wins Good Design Award 2018 for Five Products Including the Cosmo Leap Σ, an Optical Planetarium, Selected for the Good Design Best 100

Tokyo (October 25, 2018) – Konica Minolta, Inc. (Konica Minolta) is pleased to announce that the company has been awarded the Good Design Award 2018 by the Japan Institute of Design Promotion (JDP) for five products.
Among these award-winning products, the Cosmo Leap Σ, an optical planetarium, has been selected as one of the Good Design Best 100 products and also included on the list of My Favorite Choice for Good Design 2018, the Good Design Award 2018's jury's personal selections. This confirms that the jury appreciated Konica Minolta's focus on product design and quality.

GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2018

Cosmo Leap Σ, Winner of the Title, Good Design Best 100 in Good Design Award 2018

A versatile optical planetarium designed for precise reproduction of beautiful stars

Cosmo Leap Σ

Features of the Design

With its compact structure incorporating optical technology, the product is designed to blend harmoniously with cosmic space.

Comments from Screening Committee of JDP

While most products cover their structures with some materials, the planetarium is exposed. Its mechanical appearance, made of optical and precision components, appeals to people, especially children. Since the moving parts of the star ball and planet projector follow the movement of the night sky (movement of the Earth), the orderly structure of this precision machine makes children aware that cosmic space is also regularly structured. This aspect of the product was also highly regarded by the jury.

Konica Minolta Products That Have Won the Good Design Award 2018

  • Kunkun body, a body odor measuring and visualizing device
  • SONIMAGE MX1/SNiBLE yb, a diagnostic ultrasound system
  • CA-410, a color analyzer for measuring displays
  • Konica Minolta Planetarium TENKU in Tokyo SKYTREE TOWN®

Kunkun body, a Body Odor Measuring and Visualizing Device

The world's first solution for measuring and visualizing types and levels of mouth and body odors

Kunkun body

Features of the Design

Designed for sanitation, cleanliness and peace of mind, this product was developed with the concept that taking care of body odors is part of personal grooming. The device is easy to hold and non-slippery, and fits securely in the hand, while the app has a professional, scientific look and feel.

Comments from Screening Committee of JDP

In recent years, so-called 'smell harassment' caused by body odors has become a social problem. However, it is difficult to detect one's own body odors, and people hesitate to ask others about their own odors. This device solves this delicate problem by enabling users to recognize their body odors in numerical scores and objectively decide whether they need to take action to reduce their odors. By measuring body odors, this device gives users more confidence and reduces anxiety about body odors. The jury highly regarded this product for its novelty that reflects today's needs, as well as its easy-to-carry design.

SONIMAGE MX1/SNiBLE yb, a Diagnostic Ultrasound System

A diagnostic ultrasound system is compact with exceptional image quality

SONIMAGE MX1 / SNiBLE yb

Features of the Design

Designed to be as compact and lightweight as carry-on luggage and equipped with a charging cradle and a large handle, this product is highly portable.

Comments from Screening Committee of JDP

The jury highly evaluated this product for its usability in so many medical settings and wondered why such a product had not been available before. The jury was particularly impressed by the successful development of a diagnostic ultrasound system that is more compact, sophisticated, and safer and easier to use than preceding models for medical professionals and patients.

CA-410, a Color Analyzer for Measuring Displays

A product designed for measuring ever-evolving displays such as OLED displays

CA-410

Features of the Design

Designed optimally for professional use, this optical device can be used in various measuring environments, and has an excellent texture and robustness.

Comments from Screening Committee of JDP

The simple and functional design of this product conveys a sense of high measuring accuracy. The data processor is far more compact than that of preceding models and the device is highly portable. Both the data processor and the probe are black, which gives this optical measuring instrument a sense of unity. The neat alignment of the probe connection terminals on the back is also impressive. The highly-legible original font and well thought-out user interface design, as well as the simple operation thanks to the automatic zero calibration function, help streamline the measuring process and increase efficiency at factories. For these reasons, the jury concluded that this product is well designed to meet the needs of developers of ever-evolving high-resolution displays.

Konica Minolta Planetarium TENKU in Tokyo SKYTREE TOWN®

A one-time miracle taking place in the planetarium theater

Konica Minolta Planetarium TENKU in Tokyo SKYTREE TOWN®

Features of the Design

Designed with the concept of Magic Blue, the planetarium allows visitors to enjoy views of the night sky that changes with time.

Comments from Screening Committee of JDP

While renovations usually focus on upgrading equipment and refurbishing the space, the renovation of TENKU focused on introducing 3D audio effects and the latest projection systems, and making the planetarium show more enjoyable. This fact was highly appraised by the jury. The change from the sky at dusk to the starry night sky reflects the concept of TENKU, Magic Blue, allowing visitors to not only appreciate views of the starry sky, but also enjoy stories and learn about the stars. The company has succeeded in adding new value to the planetarium experience.

Features of the Award-Winning Products

Cosmo Leap Σ, an Optical Planetarium

Standing just 2.5 m tall and occupying 1 m2, the Cosmo Leap Σ is one of the world's most compact planetariums with a built-in planet projector. Despite its size, the product is packed with functions for showing detailed narratives of the starry skies, backed by Konica Minolta's cutting-edge optical, micromachining, and machine control technologies. Konica Minolta was the first in the world to succeed in building 80 projections, including 62 constellation images, 5 constellation lines, and 13 sky markers such as the Summer Triangle, into a star ball.
The Cosmo Leap Σ is used in planetariums throughout the world, including the Okayama Astronomical Museum, and will be installed in Konica Minolta Planetaria TOKYO to be opened in Yurakucho in December 2018.

For more information:
https://www.konicaminolta.com/planetarium/hard/planetariums/cosmo_leap_sigma/index.htmlNew Window

Kunkun body, a Body Odor Measuring and Visualizing Device

Kunkun body is a body odor measuring solution which simply consists of a measuring device and a smartphone app. It can detect, identify, and measure mouth odor, sweaty smell, old-aged-smell, and middle-aged-oily odor, and quantify the measured odors using our proprietary system. The levels of the odors are then displayed in the smartphone app as numerical scores and as a graph, allowing users to objectively decide whether they need to do something about their odors or not.

SONIMAGE MX1/SNiBLE yb, a Diagnostic Ultrasound System

Despite its lightweight, compact body, this product delivers high-quality imaging. This easy-to-carry diagnostic ultrasound system ensures diagnostic precision in any clinical setting. SNiBLE yb is ideal for orthopedic use, including outpatient treatment, on-the-spot examination by sports doctors, and monitoring of patients' rehabilitation progress.

For more information:
https://www.konicaminolta.com/newsroom/2018/0316-01-01.html

CA-410, a Color Analyzer for Measuring Displays

The CA-410 is an optical measuring device designed for use at factories producing TV and smartphone displays. This product performs high-speed, accurate measurement of higher-dynamic range (HDR) displays, including OLED displays, from extremely low to high luminance, thus improving productivity and enhancing the rich graphic expression of ever-evolving displays.

For more information:
https://sensing.konicaminolta.asia/product/color-analyzer-ca-410New Window

Konica Minolta Planetarium TENKU in Tokyo SKYTREE TOWN®

TENKU opened on May 22, 2012 as a directly-managed planetarium of Konica Minolta, a planetarium manufacturer. The award-winning renovation of TENKU in 2017 focused on introducing the latest 3D audio effects and projection systems as well as premium seats based on the concept of Magic Blue. Following its renovation, TENKU is a new entertainment facility where each visitor can experience the unfolding miracles of the universe.

For more information:
https://planetarium.konicaminolta.jp/english/New Window

About the Good Design Award

The Good Design Award is a comprehensive design award program run by the JDP which aims to highlight and commend outstanding designs around us in the pursuit of prosperous lives and industrial and social development.
This program has a history of more than 60 years since its creation in 1957 by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (present-day Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) under the name, Good Design Selection System, which was more widely known as the G Mark System.
From among all the Good Design Award winners, Good Design Best 100 products are selected, from which the jury then selects Good Design Gold Award winners, finalists (candidates for Grand Award) and Good Focus Award winners. The Good Design Grand Award winner is selected from among the candidates for Grand Award by the jury and the Good Design Award winners of the year.

For More Information