Sharp : Plasmacluster Air Purifier and Color Electronic Paper Display Win 2024 iF Design Awards

Sharp Corporation's FX-S/FP-S series*1Plasmacluster air purifier and ePoster color electronic paper display have been honored with 2024 iF Design Awards.

Launched in 1953, the iF Design Award is one of the world's most prestigious product design awards. It is organized by the iF International Forum Design GmbH, an international group based in Hannover, Germany that promotes outstanding design. For 2024, the iF Design Award recognized outstanding design in nine disciplines*2and drew 10,800 entries, about the same as last year, from 72 countries. The entries were judged based on five main criteria: form, idea, function, differentiation, and impact.

Sharp was awarded in the Product discipline, which covers a wide range of physical products including consumer electronics, furniture, and medical equipment.

Sharp remains committed to not only designing products that are visually appealing and easy to use, but to offering the world products, services, and solutions whose usage brings happiness to people's lives.

*1 Model numbers vary depending on the region.

*2 The nine disciplines are Product, Packaging, Communication, Interior Architecture, Professional Concept, Service Design, Architecture, UX (User Experience), and UI (User Interface).

■ Highlights of the Award-winning Products

・FX-S/FP-S Series Plasmacluster Air Purifier

Equipped with Sharp's proprietary high-density Plasmacluster ion technology, this air purifier suppresses the activity of adhered pollen allergens*3and viruses*4etc. With the new dual suction structure, it can purify a large capacity of air despite its compact size. Under the "Pure Air, Pure Lifestyle" concept, this product is compatible with Sharp's AIoT cloud service, allowing users to manage the operation schedule, and its naturally textured design can blend in seamlessly with interiors to complement a pleasant air environment.

*3 Test institution: Biostir Inc.; Test method: Plasmacluster ions were released in an approx. 21 m 3 space containing specimens with adhered pollen allergens. Allergens were measured using the ELISA technique.
Test results: The suppressing effect was confirmed after 24 hours. The KI-HP100 (performance equivalent to FP-S120) was operated at medium air flow.

*4 Test institution: Shokukanken Inc.; Test method: A performance evaluation test was conducted according to Japan Electrical Manufacturers' Association standards (JEM1467) in an airtight 25 m³ test space; Tested substance: One type of adhered virus; Test results: 99% of viruses were suppressed after approx. 10 hours. The KI-BX50 (air purifier equipped with Plasmacluster 25000) was operated at high air flow.

● AIoT: A word coined by Sharp, combining the words AI (artificial intelligence) and IoT (Internet of things). AIoT is a vision of how all kinds of products will connect to artificial intelligence via the cloud and become a people-oriented existence. AIoT is a registered trademark of Sharp Corporation.

iF Design Award page: https://ifdesign.com/en/winner-ranking/project/sharp-fx-sfp-s-series/615167

・ePoster Color Electronic Paper Display

This color electronic paper display is equipped with technology from E Ink Holdings Inc.,*5the world's commercial leader in the electronic paper field. With its energy-efficient performance, this display uses electricity only when rewriting on screen and otherwise maintains the display with zero watts of power consumption. It also boasts an expressive wide color gamut and-just like printed paper-high visibility. Its thinness and light weight make it easy to install, opening up a range of possibilities for use in place of conventional digital signage that is limited by its significant weight and the need for a power source, as well as paper posters. On the environmental side, besides its energy-efficient performance when displaying information, 30% of its body is made of recycled plastic. Sharp will continue to innovate information dissemination in the carbon-neutral era via ePoster.

*5 Headquarters: Hsinchu, Taiwan; CEO: Johnson Lee

● Sharp Corporation is currently applying for a trademark for "ePoster."

See more: https://global.sharp/corporate/news/230809-a.html

iF Design Award page: https://ifdesign.com/en/winner-ranking/project/sharp-eposter/614618