ZTE USA revealed the top three ideas to come from its Project CSX crowdsourcing initiative, ahead of a second round intended to further the concepts.

The top three were: an underwater VR headset; a robotic glove controlled by an app; and a phone that can be controlled with eye movements.

According to reports, one popular submission – a device powered by Ubuntu – was nixed by ZTE. Other suggestions basically amounted to incremental upgrades to existing devices.

Bearing in mind the company previously said the winning submission “must be a mobile product, the technology must be realistically possible by 2017, and the final product must be affordable for the general population,” it is perhaps not too difficult to see which way the wind is blowing.

In the second round, consumers will need to refine the top three ideas by defining how the product will look, function, and be operated.

There is also a “small window of opportunity” for those having missed the earlier deadline: a wildcard will be selected to join the top three, which must include both product idea and product design to be considered.

Concept designs are due on or before 30 September. Early in October, consumers can vote to identify top ideas. A mid-October round will determine the device ZTE will build next, the company said.