Electrolux has launched a competition to find the most inventive kitchen appliances of the future.The company has devised its 2010 competition on the theme the 2nd Space Age and is searching for gadgets that could be used within the home in 2050, YankoDesign.com reported.Student designers were asked to consider how people will prepare and store food, wash clothes and do dishes at a time when 74 per cent of the worlds population is expected to be living in urban areas.A key focus of the competition, then, is on how the appliance ideas could help combat the space crunch and boost energy saving, the news provider noted.Electrolux has now whittled down the competition entries to 25 finalists, which includes the Mesh Cooker a compact, portable device that uses retractable aluminium and portable Teflon to cook a variety of foods.Meanwhile, it was reported earlier this month that a touchless kitchen tap has been invented by product designer Jasper Dekker which responds to hand gestures alone.