Somewhere in the abyss between a laptop and a smart phone, companies are looking for technology to bridge the gap. It may be a while before products like those reach the market, but BYU industrial design students are imagining ideas for them.

On Monday, students taking an industrial design studio class presented concepts for ultra-mobile computers to Dell. Ideas included a radio and computer unit that could be used by police officers, a model that folded out into a tablet aimed at students and a 3-by-5-inch model aimed at entertainment, such as video-watching, and organization, such as a grocery list. Also, seniors presented ideas and prototypes for mesh folding chairs to Mity-Lite, an Orem-based company.

Laura Davey was part of the group that worked on the small computer aimed at entertainment. She said she and the group chose that function to find potential buyers.

"We wanted to find a niche market," she said.

The group rejected a model aimed a business people because they thought that they could find a better customer base among young adults, high schoolers, or busy moms, all of whom the group said could find a potential use for the device.

The device is voice activated, features a touch screen and runs Windows Vista. As for media, the device has the ability to project the contents of the small screen anywhere, from a T-shirt to the wall. That way users won't have to strain their eyes watching videos on YouTube.

"Hopefully, in five years they can fit all the guts inside this," said junior Brent Barberis.

Students working on the small computers didn't worry about how their ideas would work with software. Davey said the group was working with ideas that have the potential to be on the market in five years, and she doesn't see any reason why they won't be.

Barberis said the hardest part of working on the project was working with a team.

"It's hard to all be on the same page," Barberis said.

Working as a team is something professor of industrial design Bryan Howell wants students to get used to, because that's what happens in the real world.

"I don't want them to have any surprises when the get into the real world," Howell said. "This is life. Teamwork is what you will always be doing."

"The ability to (enter a) team and inspire is really the skill that will bring these (students) to the top," said former Dell and Apple executive Bruce Cooper.

The senior students had a different challenge than their junior-class counterparts, who created the designs for mobile computers, because they had to create a product that worked.

"Ours actually had to really function," said senior Brynn Snyder.

The senior students were charged with creating a new mesh folding chair that could be built on Mity-Lite's existing frame. Potential clients include The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"Someday we might be stacking these at the end of our ward parties," said BYU spokesman Michael Smart.

Senior Alex Kneese said the toughest part of the project was dealing with the mesh fabric. It was a difficulty to figure out how to stretch the material and provide a backing that could provide support for the back and the knees.