Folding bike helmets, smoke alarms that send you text messages and a syringe that remains colourless when stored in its sterile pack, but changes colour when opened.are among the innovative solutions that make up the Design Museum's Designs of the Year shortlist, announced on Monday.

From architecture and fashion to transport and digital design, the 76 nominations include the usual global stars – Zaha Hadid and John Pawson, David Chipperfield and Miuccia Prada – alongside smaller startups and student initiatives. Together, they provide a barometer of emerging trends and common themes, from the ubiquity of the smartphone to the growing number of independent designers and inventors turning to crowd-funding to see their ideas realised.

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