The GOOD DESIGN Awards presented annually by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design together with The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies honors the world’s top corporations for setting the highest standard of the best products, branding, and graphic design.

Founded in Chicago in 1950 by architects Eero Saarinen, Charles and Ray Eames, and Edgar Kaufmann, Jr., GOOD DESIGN bestows international recognition upon the world’s most prominent designers and manufacturers for advancing new, visionary, and innovative product concepts, invention and originality, and for stretching the envelope beyond what is considered ordinary product and consumer design.

In 2009, a total of 500 awards were given out to the leading industry designers and manufacturers representing 35 nations, marking this year’s awards as the largest ever by country. Some of this past year’s top contributing corporations include: 3M Company, Apple Computer, Inc., Armstrong World Companies, AT&T., The Bosch Group, Continental Airlines, Electrolux Major Appliances, Mercedes-Benz, and the long list continues.

Pictured right is a winner from the robotics/bionics category that I had to share. It’s called Air Penguin designed by Festo AG Co. KG. These artificial penguins have been taught “autonomous flight in the sea of air”. The knowledge gained from this project will benefit automation production processes in the future.

To view a list of all 2009 winners take a look at the Good Design 2009 website.

For more information about the history of the most prestigious world design award and to submit products and designs for the 2010 GOOD DESIGN Awards visit the Good Design 2010 page.