Architects, carpenters and other design and construction professionals often carry measuring tape wherever they go, but this small wheel makes for a much less bulky companion tool.

Measuring trundle wheels used to determine distances by rolling on a surface are not new, but they are big, and this design miniaturizes their function while maintaining a critical advantage: it can measure up to effectively any length as long as its operator keeps track of the number of spins.

The Rollbe comes in various sizes, but at its smallest it is just a few inches in circumference (around an inch in diameter), making it fit like a coin and easy to carry on the go. It also comes with a pouch, turning it into a keyring.

Thanks to the curved design and rolling function, it can measure not just flat but also curving and irregular surfaces, an advantage over a traditional measuring tape. The device also clicks with each rotation, making it easier to track the number of turns.

Designed by The Work of Mind, a Canadian company, the idea came from an unlikely direction — it wasn’t an attempt to figure out measuring, but to find new uses for coin-sized options. Numerals and markings are etched into the stainless steel using laser engraving to prevent fading over time. A larger version is also available — less portable, but a nice thing to pack in one’s kit of tools.

A clever domestic design to eliminate ungainly collections of measuring spoons and cups, Polygons is an ingenious cooking multi-tool that measures different amounts on demand and packs flat when not in use.

The key to the device is its flexibility, and not just in terms of measuring. Its creators claim it can flex up to 100,000 times without breaking thanks to TPR-based hinges.

Each tool (a teaspoon and tablespoon variant) has four different measuring configurations and can also be used to spread things in its flat formation.

The creators claim it works equally well with runny and viscous liquids as well as powders, then wash easily to avoid stains and smells.

If the material science side of the project holds it could have a lot more applications as well for everyday-use objects that need to bend without extraneous hinging mechanisms (which add bulk to a product as well as a point of failure and cracks for dirt and debris).