Over the next few weeks we will be highlighting award-winning projects and ideas from this year's Core77 Design Awards 2013. We will be featuring these projects by category, so stay tuned for your favorite categories of design! For full details on the project, jury commenting and more information about the awards program, go to Core77DesignAwards.com.
The CrossTrainer Wheelchair is designed to introduce disabled youth to adaptive sports. Its' innovative design qualifies it for government funding grants for daily use wheelchairs, but packs all the features of a sports wheelchair. The unique camber adjustment allows changes to the angle and position of the wheels, exponentially increasing functionality. A range of sports can be played with interchangeable front ends. Sound mass production principles lower the cost of the chair versus existing wheelchairs. These factors combine to create a wheelchair that greatly increases the accessibility of disabled sport to youth.
- How did you learn that you had been recognized by the jury?
Constantly Ctrl-R-ing the awards page waiting for the winners to be announced.
- What's the latest news or development with your project?
I've continued to optimize the design in my own time: trying to reduce material usage, simplifying the potential tooling, reducing weight and lowering cost of the wheelchair.
- What is one quick anecdote about your project?
After a strenuous day in the university shop machining components for the wheelchair, I realized I had previously set up a date with a lady-friend. With no time to go home and change, I showed up covered in aluminum chippings from the milling machine and smelling strongly of cutting oil. I was told that the sparkly bits of aluminum "suited me" and that cutting oil made quite the cologne.
- What was an "a-ha" moment from this project?
There were two huge "a-ha" moments during this project. The first was the basic concept for the CrossTrainer Wheelchair; if most sports wheelchairs share common parts, why not combine them into one wheelchair with interchangeable components? The second happened in the reception area of a swanky company while sitting in an Eames Aluminum Group chair. I thought to myself, "If Eames can die cast a chair, why can't I die cast a wheelchair?"
CrossTrainer also received a Runner-Up mention in the Student Consumer Products category, as well as a Notable mention in the Student Equipment category. View the full project here.
Project Name: Haemobility Mobile Blood Donation Designers: Haemobility Design Team Innovation Design Engineering, Royal College of Art, London
Haemobility re-imagines mobile blood donation in the UK and addresses the need for wider participation within our growing and aging population. A simple and intuitive low-cost testing device, available in first aid kits and official application forms, reveals blood type. The visibility of blood donation in daily life is increased through the dispersal of new hyper-mobile blood donation trolley. The trolley allows for donations to take place in diverse locations, while making carer tasks easier and safer, and enhancing donor experience. A new safer needle carrier design is less intimidating and reduces the chance of needlestick injuries for carers.
- How did you learn that you had been recognized by the jury?
We learnt about our recognition by watching the live award ceremony.
- What's the latest news or development with your project?
The team is still very passionate about the project, and will continue showing at exhibitions in the future to further showcase our work on blood donation and hopefully get funding to make the project a reality!
- What is one quick anecdote about your project?
None of us had donated blood before the project, we arrived at the subject through looking at Conflict, War and life or death innovation.
- What was an "a-ha" moment from this project?
The moment of realisation for the project was after we visited a mobile blood donation centre, and realised there was a lot we could add to the experience as designers.
View the full project here.
Project Name: Scritch Designer: Hideaki Matsui Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design
'Scritch' is a patient-centric measurement system that consists of an ergonomically designed wearable device and software application that objectively measures levels of itchiness and helps those battling chronic skin disorders manage their condition. Itchiness is a subjective sensation that ranges from mild to severe depending on the individual. 'Scritch' collects data to analyze an individual's itching patterns, determines how factors such as prescription medication, environmental factors and stress levels could affect symptoms and future outbreaks.
- How did you learn that you had been recognized by the jury?
My project is pretty complex because it is a combination of mixed-medium and design strategy, and I believe in the importance of creating products and strategy together. Therefore it was great to know that the jury understand the system and value of my project.
- What's the latest news or development with your project?
I spent the past 6 months pitching my project to a large pharmaceutical company. They decided not to make an investment because the concept is too advanced for their business (they make topical medications, and have never developed wearables or software). It was quite unfortunate, but I haven't given up on this project. The final prototype for my thesis was just an initial prototype in real business. The current idea in my mind is radically different from the latest prototype. In order to achieve this goal, I need to build a team of designers, engineers, and business people. Please contact me if you know of anyone you think would be interested!
- What is one quick anecdote about your project?
I only had ten weeks to complete this project, and it was really hectic towards the end. I had almost no time to sleep, but I actually had to sleep to test my prototypes. It was such a good excuse to take a rest.
- What was an "a-ha" moment from this project?
There were three "a-ha" moments:
First, when I found a design-actionable opportunity: itchiness is subjective sensation, and there are no objective and technical measurements for people to communicate how itchy they are.
Second, when I discovered a succinct way for big data to be utilized in a system that archives patient progress and medical expert advice to research the problem on both a macro and micro scale.
Third, when I realized irony in the current system of the quantified self. There are many technology companies that produce wearables for self-monitoring purposes, but none of them talk about what they do with big data collected from users. That big data could be worth millions or billions of dollar in the long run; technology companies could use that data for their own R&D process or even sell it to other companies. From my perspective, ironically people (including myself) pay money for those devices to donate data to those companies. In the near future, wearables will become much smarter, and collect a lot of complex data. Will people donate their data in the same way we do now? This question introduces opportunities for designers to develop thoughts/concepts on ownership of personal data.
Scritch also received a Notable mention in both the Student Interaction and Strategy & Research categories. View the full project here.
Create a Core77 Account
Already have an account? Sign In
By creating a Core77 account you confirm that you accept the Terms of Use
Please enter your email and we will send an email to reset your password.