What better way to wake up in the morning then with the chirping of birds and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee.  The team at NOTLABS have collaborated with Publicis Mexico with a little help from Shapeways 3D printing to create the Nescafe Alarm Caps.  

The alarm awakens you with the soft sound of chirping birds and a ring of LEDs illuminating the cap, to turn the alarm off you must unscrew the cap (and make yourself a cup of Nescafe).  This elegantly simple idea was realized thanks to Shapeways 3D printing and Arduino based electronics that are accessible to anyone.

It is a prefect example of a major brand taking inspiration from the maker movement, using innovative design firms to create short run products to keep their brand fresh and agile.  Nescafe do not need to invest in 10,000 units to meet minimum order quantities to take their product to market.  Like Shapeways shop owners who understand one of the key assets of 3D printing, that supply exactly meets demand, Nescafe can inspire and supply a key market, whether they be Nescafe lovers, influential celebrities or Folgers fanatics.

We are seeing more and more major brands start to approach 3D printing to connect with their customer base in a more bespoke way, with the democratization of manufacturing with digital fabrication, the biggest firms need to act small to keep up with the rapid innovation possible with smaller agile design firms and even individuals.

Check out the video to see the Nescafe Alarm Cap in action, is that how you would like to start your day?

Also be sure to check out the full unboxing at NotCot and the making of at Cool Hunting that features a couple of images from inside the Shapeways 3D printing factory in NYC.

Thanks to Jean and Shawn at NotCot for the images.