Specim and Haltian win Red Dot Design Award 2018 with SPECIM IQ

Man holding a Specim IQ

“The origins of the Red Dot Design Award date back to 1955. Its distinction, the Red Dot, is established internationally as one of the most sought-after quality marks for good design. From products to communication projects and packaging to design concepts and prototypes, the Red Dot Award tracks the most prominent trends worldwide. With the help of the jury, the internationally organised competition “Red Dot Award: Product Design” appraises the best products of the year. In 48 categories, manufacturers and designers can enter their innovations. The jury only awards a Red Dot to products with a high design quality.”  Red Dot

Specim IQ changes hyperspectral Imaging

Specim IQ is a prime example of what happens when design, technology and business expertise come together. Specim had come up with an idea to take hyperspectral imaging technology to the field from the labs – Imagining a new paradigm for anyone looking to use the technology in their daily work.

Prior to Specim IQ the computers and gear hyperspectral imaging needed was a lot. Specim IQ squeezes 70kg worth of stuff to a single handheld device. In addition to miniaturization the performance leap is remarkable. instead of days of analysis in a lab the device allows people get results in an instant. The inbuilt ability to create applications for the device makes the life easy for arts experts, real life CSI teams and food health researchers, to mention a few.

Award winning design – Specim IQ

Not all designs are born equal. Creating a groundbreaking new product is a daunting task. Pure amount of choices that you are able to take in the beginning is so high that it is often a good idea to have a team of experts from various fields to lead you through the most obvious ones. Specim knows hyperspectral imaging but was looking for a completely new way to use the technology. Haltian again is an expert in creating imaging devices that can be produced in masses. After some time of discussing the challenge the two companies decided to start a collaboration to create Specim IQ.

Specim has very high expertise in hyperspectral imaging technology and optics, whereas Haltian knows how to design desirable products.  Haltian had done some very high computational imaging and VR devices so we had some insights to how the demanding hardware stack should be done. In addition to electronics Specim wanted to have a touch screen that is responsive and optimized for the use case. In tight collaboration between industrial design and UX/UI design we were able to create a camera-interface with very high usability.

Specim IQ in hand

Numerous design concepts were created around the idea. Locations for the key parts like the imaging engine architecture orientation were discussed in a tight process involving designers and engineers from both companies. Some concepts were pretty wild as it should be, however the process was holistic at all times. The designers discussed with hardware and mechanics team, as well as had an open line of communications to Specim. This close collaboration enabled an award winning design.

Design is in the details

Specim IQ on white background
High end computation, Image processing in a compact form factor.

The best part of Specim IQ´s design is the attention to detail. Every bit on the device is carefully thought out from materials selections to assembly and manufacturing of the hyperspectral camera. Small details each play a role in completing the product experience. How Specim IQ studio works with the device, how the user interface allows a very fast learning curve, how the design communicates how it should be used. Although being a paradigm shift in hyperspectral imaging, Specim IQ is surprisingly familiar. The advanced technology is hidden and the user is given a very simple and usable device to work with.

The Red Dot Design Award means a lot to our young company. It proves the model where talented people work closely with customer to deliver an amazing design. We have been building our design capability and process for many years now and it begins to bear fruit. Designers are present in all phases of our projects, making sure our customers get products they can be proud of. On the other hand, our skilled engineers and specialists allow our designers to shine by enabling even more challenging concepts.

Design is team work

Specim IQ is a remarkable product. It is the first public imaging product reference for our company and will be forever valuable for that. It is our first design that is granted an international design award. However, one thing we will remember is the great collaboration we had with Specim. Meeting  challenges together allowed us to create this design.

Lead designer, program head and UX/UI lead for the Specim IQ
Lead designer Mikael Heikkilä to the left, Harri Salo, the program head from Specim in the middle and Tuomo Kalajanniska, UX/UI lead to the right

product development, hyperspectral imaging, smart cameras, iot imaging

Specim IQ – mobile hyperspectral camera

Specim IQ, next-gen camera allows you to analyse materials, anywhere, in an instant. It’s the world’s first mobile hyperspectral camera that provides endless possibilities to reveal what’s inside. Are you interested in creating an imaging device with us?

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