World’s First Manual Wheelchair with a Steering System and a Prosthetic Third Thumb: RCA Helen Hamlyn Awards 2017
The Royal College of Art – the world’s number one Art and Design University – has announced the winners of the Helen Hamlyn Awards 2017. The annual awards, organised by the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design, recognise the best RCA graduate projects dedicated to developing inclusive design solutions to improve people’s lives.
There are six main award categories and each winner will receive £2,000 prize money to support further development of their project. Winners were chosen by a panel of experts from a shortlist based on evidence of a real social issue or problem, rigorous research including user-testing and worthiness of solution.
The winners are:
Helen Hamlyn Design Award for Creativity
The Third Thumb (Danielle Clode, Design Products)
The Third Thumb is a prosthetic additional digit that is controlled by the feet. It strengthens and enhances natural dexterity through wearable and robotic technical innovation, not only addressing limb loss for disabled people but allowing people from all abilities to extend their capabilities.
The Snowdon Award for Disability (sponsored by the Snowdon Trust)
The Reagiro (Reto Togni, Innovation Design Engineering, RCA and Imperial College London).
This is the world's first manual everyday wheelchair with a steering system. Users control the chair through upper body movement rather than braking and pushing, making it easier and more pleasurable to use, improving body awareness and stimulating muscles that are not otherwise used.
Stannah Inclusive Design Award
(sponsored by Stannah)
Begego (Mafalda Sobral, Innovation Design Engineering, RCA and Imperial College
London).
Begego is a system that enables children to be independent in managing Type 1 diabetes. Begego is a watch that connects to existing devices, such as smartphones, and alerts the user when blood sugar is low, making it easier for children and caregivers to manage diabetes.
MIE Design Award for Healthcare (sponsored by MIE Medical Research)
Okun Makoko (Tolu Odusanya and Umi Baden-Powell, Design Products and Architecture)
Okun Makoko is a collaborative project that tackles the urgent problem of energy supply in Africa, focusing on Makoko, a floating fishing village that is one of the biggest self-organised settlements in Nigeria. Working with experts in the fields of microbiology, biogas and engineering, they have created the minimum viable product for a biogas generator.
Scott Brownrigg
Design Award for Inclusive Spaces (sponsored by Scott Brownrigg)
Atmospheric
Pressures (Braelyn Hamill, Interior Design)
Atmospheric Pressures is a solution to poor air quality on the London Underground. This is a design solution for the near future that uses rock salt and plants to filter the air pulled through the underground tunnels when the trains pass through them.
Realys Design Award for Work Futures (sponsored by Realys)
STRATA Pace Layer Project (Katrine Hesseldahl and Victor Strimfors, Design Products)
STRATA is a sustainable modular furniture system and manufacturing model that combats furniture waste. Furniture parts are sold in ‘layers’, allowing the owners to replace just the layers that need replacing.
arhol, Leonardo da Vinci
ENDS
For further information or images please contact Bethany Bull, RCA Press Officer on t: +44 (0) 20 7590 4114, e: [email protected].
Notes to Editors
The Royal College of Art is the world’s leading university of art and design, placing at Number One in the 2017, 2016 and 2015 QS World University Rankings. Specialising in teaching and research, the RCA offers the degrees of MA, MPhil, MRes and PhD across the disciplines of applied art, fine art, design, communications and humanities. There are over 1,800 Master’s and doctoral students and more than 1,000 professionals interacting with them – including scholars, art and design practitioners, along with specialists, advisers and distinguished visitors. http://www.rca.ac.uk. The Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design is the Royal College of Art’s largest centre for design research and international leader in people-centred and inclusive design and has completed over 250 projects with around 160 partner organisations. www.hhcd.rca.ac.uk