IDEO collaborated with Lufthansa Technik AG to produce the industry's first wireless handheld remote for in-flight entertainment and cabin management systems.

The handheld device controls the nice(tm) cabin management and entertainment system, a network of on-board facilities, including DVD, CD, VHS, and MP3 players, LCD and plasma screens, dynamic satellite maps, and externally mounted cameras. It also controls cabin environment—lighting, temperature, and electric furniture such as window shades—and can communicate requests to cabin crew. The user can program the remote to perform a range of operations at the touch of a single button; for example, start an MP3 playlist, dim the lights, and view the landscape via the outside cameras.

Human factors and interaction design research with VIP clients, pilots, flight engineers, and cabin staff, revealed that the complex system needed two levels of interaction. A garage door metaphor intuitively expresses the transition between the two modes, each with a unique visual language and color palette. When the garage door is closed, the interface is simple and shows only the essential functions and choices. Open, the options increase, and the user can customize all available settings.

The device is made of Corian to give the look and feel of porcelain without its drawbacks, and plated aluminum with etched graphics to suggest a unique, exclusive, handcrafted aesthetic. Luminescent "feet" on the rear of the device softly glow when it is placed on a table so the user can easily locate it in a dim cabin.

The elegant and intuitive device complies with specific avionic and safety regulations. Its unique double-locking mechanism allows it to be held securely in a recharging docking station even during extreme take-off, landing, and turbulence conditions.