NERE_Smart Bathroom Care Device

What it does

Towels are often reused while still damp due to laundry inconvenience. This design enhances hygiene by combining drying, sterilization, and fragrance, turning a neglected routine into a smart, pleasant experience.

Your inspiration

Conventional towel sterilizers provide localized sterilization, making it difficult to ensure complete hygiene of the entire towel. Given the spatial limitations of bathrooms, it is essential to consider product size, user convenience, and spatial harmony in design. Developing a bathroom device that can maintain towel hygiene effectively within these constraints remains a key design challenge.

How it works

To ensure comprehensive sterilization of towels, this device features a mechanism in which the towel hanger automatically moves into a UV-C sterilization chamber upon towel placement. Four integrated hot-air fans enable rapid and efficient drying, while an embedded diffuser capsule enhances the overall scent environment of the bathroom. A built-in display provides real-time information on sterilization status and towel usage frequency, which is also transmitted to a connected mobile application for enhanced user accessibility.

Design process

1. Concept Development Analysis of modern lifestyles revealed that bathrooms remain underdeveloped in terms of technology. Towel reuse issues—like hygiene and discomfort—lead to user dissatisfaction. This led to a product concept focused on connecting “smart living and bathroom hygiene care.” 2. Idea Refinement and Design Direction From early scenario analysis, the following features were derived: UV-C sterilization Low-noise, low-temp hot-air drying Fragrance care via diffuser capsules Simple towel hanger with kinetic motion IoT-based app monitoring and scheduling Slim, wall-mounted form to optimize space 3. Prototype Development Initial Mockup (form and structure test) Materials: Cardboard, clay, 3D-printed plastic Checked: Towel mounting method, proportions, usability Issue: Though full sterilization was possible, placing towels felt inconvenient. 4. Design Improvement The hanger was redesigned as a kinetic structure that extends outward before use, improving towel placement convenience.

How it is different

NERE is more than just a towel dryer—it is a smart bathroom hygiene management system that integrates UV sterilization, low-temperature hot-air drying, and fragrance care into a single device. While conventional dryers or sterilizers offer only fragmented functionalities, NERE provides a comprehensive solution based on lifestyle analysis, addressing both hygiene and emotional comfort. Its automatic kinetic towel hanger, designed with user behavior in mind, and IoT-based mobile app connectivity significantly enhance usability, setting it apart from existing products. The slim, wall-mountable form and minimalist design blend seamlessly into bathroom interiors, challenging the boundary between hygiene appliances and home aesthetics.

Future plans

The current prototype is the first version of the system, integrating towel sterilization, drying, and fragrance care, with the device structure and core UI/UX framework already established. Future developments will include the implementation of IoT-based personalized features, structural design improvements for mass production, and the preparation of design and technology patents for the automatic kinetic towel hanger and the integrated hygiene management system.

Awards