THE NEW AND IMPROVED ‘CRATE'
5. Cage (we did not include here "cages" made out of bones or carcasses, as those seemed to fall into a separate category)

Jenna Hoffstein, designer and research coordinator: "Cages around tears in the space/time fabric -- created by messing around with time travel, can be busted apart and used on enemies."

Jaime Kuroiwa, QA test lead: "Sci-fi ‘cages' with alien inhabitants that react when approached or interacted with. Imagine the ‘facehugger in a jar' scene in Aliens."

Vlad Postolache, Camberwell High School, year 12: "Solid cage with warning labels, small overly aggressive but otherwise harmless creature pops out when destroyed (pet or reward for setting it free)."

Kevin Trepanier, freelance Flash developer and teacher in UQAT, Québec: "These too could come in many sizes and style. Empty, opened, clean, bloody, with small or large bars. What would you feel like encountering a huge empty cage with thick, bent bars stained with blood? Pretty scary. Cages have the extra advantage of letting the player see through it to reveal cues or inaccessible passages."

6. Camouflage Crate
Brendan Ke, Nanyang Technological University: "Adaptive camouflage boxes: These boxes are hidden pillboxes for sentry defense. The pillboxes are camouflaged with the environment; furthermore the camouflage is customizable according to the environment. It's invisible to the naked eye making it ideal concealment for defense sentries."

Peter Fung, Toronto, prospective student: "Mimicry Crate. In game appearance: Mimics an appropriate environmental item. When not in use, it's just a metal disc similar to a large DVD. Function: Mimics the appearance of an environmental item the player has previously scanned. Unlike the original items it mimics, it have no properties as it's just a hollow husk. However, it can serve as a camo for explosive or detection device. Can be used in a wide variety of genres due to its mimicry nature. Inspiration: Changelings (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)."

Evan VanScoyk, McKendree University, computer science: "With the front, sides, and top designed as a terrain/environment this can be used to store items in secret or conceal your position. Provides excellent protection, can be climbed and is immovable."

7. Imploding Crate
Sina Jafarzadeh Technical University of Dresden, Germany, media and computer science: "A very fast to use box-like storage device! Just place the items you want to store near the box and push the button on the remote control. Of course it also can be moved via remote control and the software can be hacked, so that you can actually pull in big things. Of course we don't suggest enemy in the box, do we?"

8. Hologram
Marco Roy, software engineering, École de technologie supérieure (ETS), Montreal: "These crates have the ability to display a hologram for many purposes like information, video calls, maps, etc. They can also be used as a datacenter, to download and upload information."

Sina Jafarzadeh Technical University of Dresden, Germany, media and computer science: "Ad-in-the-box, a popular device used for presenting advertisement in holographic form. The advertisement will be shown over the box. Of course it can be hacked to show other kind of messages.

"Or a holoblock: This device is used for decorative purposes. Untidy places can be cloaked by the holographic facets of the block. Of course anything else can be cloaked, too. Somehow robots perceive holoblocks as a real obstacle, so artful persons will use that for their advantage."

Jacob Crane, Icarus Studios: "Self projecting holographic carrier box: This line of crate is designed for the person who wants to keep their product a secret and easily identifiable. The outside of the box is a complete hologram, but the person transporting your goods won't know that. It's easy to set up. This product is also good if you want to advertise while you ship."

Brendan Ke, Nanyang Technological University: "Hologram projection image post: During peacetime, its usages are for advertising, online conferencing and even classroom lessons are conducted via hologram interface. However during wartime, hologram projection posts that are littered across the streets will project images of soldiers, to confuse the enemy. Soldiers can use the projections as cover."

Louis Fontaine, University of Amsterdam, MSc AI student: "Crates are projected by tiny projectors contained in the 'crate' itself (i.e., a projector lying on the ground, between the other contents). Penetrating the crate-sides will disturb the holographic projection and reveal the deception."

Matt Roberts, The Guildhall at SMU, level design student: "A placed hologram of, say, an enemy-type. It adds a psychological element of cost-benefit thinking to progressing through the game, you know, because you see a guard but really it's an illusion disguising some valued resources, or hiding a control panel or something. The player could set up distractions with it."

9. Wheels
Matthew Leach, Napier University, Edinburgh, PhD graduate: "Stackable wheels: Suitable for environments where resources would be mobile; e.g. industrial complex, space port, etc." (See image, page 6.)

Kevin Trepanier, freelance Flash developer and teacher in UQAT, Québec: "The huge wheels of a gigantic vehicle: These can come in various size and designs, can be stacked on the side or put up. A wheel could be half resting on the ground and half on another wheel in order to create a climbing ramp."

10. Audio speakers
Jaime Kuroiwa, QA test lead: "Just 'cause it's the future don't mean they can't ROCK!"