Innovative Design Projects That Are Helping Society from ePDA 2022 Winners
May 9, 2023Design has always been an important aspect of society, shaping the world around us in countless ways. From architecture to product design, the impact of design can be seen everywhere we look. But in recent years, there has been a growing movement of designers who are using their skills to tackle some of the most pressing social and environmental issues of our time.
In this blog post, we will showcase some of the most innovative design projects that were a winner in the Design for Society category in the 2022 Edition of ePDA. These designs go beyond aesthetics and focus on practical solutions that can improve people's lives, promote sustainability, and address pressing social challenges. We hope that these examples will inspire you to think creatively about how design can be used to make a positive impact in your own community and beyond.
yokun Olfactory Training System - Kenji Fujii
"yokun" is a design for a device that, by visualising scent, awakens people's sense of smell.
It encourages individuals to pay attention to their sense of smell, which they seldom are in regular life, by synchronising the intangible scent with soap bubbles released from the jar.
A further goal of the research is to delay the act of "smelling," which will effect 15 million people in Japan in 2040 when the population is anticipated to be ageing, in order to prevent the age-related reduction in scent that would afflict this demographic.
Emergency Syringe Capsule (ESC) - Eric Lalande
It may be necessary to bring prefilled syringes to carers in some circumstances. Ten syringes are protected and kept in a temperature-controlled environment by the Emergency Syringe Capsule (ESC). A cold pack with shifting colours provides immediate visual indications for determining the capsule's inside temperature. A number of security safeguards are also included into the ESC to warn users of possible manipulation. The positions of the syringes are designated numerically and visually, facilitating carer communication.
Walking Aid - Kyungchan Hwang
The winning design firm, HNU, investigated the typical activities performed by the elderly and disabled due to chronic illnesses or physical function disorders, investigated the issues with the current generation of walking aids, and then proposed a suitable solution. 1. Stability; the wheel and portion of rotation 2. the regulation of posture for self-support 3. With the elderly in mind, who may not be able to fully comprehend the ways of use, the removal of as many difficult functions from the components for controlling.
TÜLIP | Heart Monitoring Device for Women - Adam Keen and Gethin Roberts
Due to a lack of knowledge about the related symptoms, heart disease is the leading cause of death among women.
With the use of a bedside device called Tülip, ladies are encouraged to monitor their hearts first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
The user's wrist is wrapped with the wearable cuff. An oximeter and integrated PPG technology enable the monitoring of cardiac arrhythmias and blood oxygen levels. This makes it possible to collect data over a lengthy period of time and identify discrepancies.
Tülip concentrates on 'femtech' market preventative care.
Breeza - Yumeng Li, Zongheng Sun
More than 86% of consumers misunderstand or don't even comprehend the symbols on wash labels. To prevent skin irritation, several users and fabric organisations already advise cutting the unevenly linked washing label.
Breeza has created a smart wash belt with a detachable brand information label that contains the legally required washing and care instructions, as well as a seamless anti-fray QR code that tracks and calculates the life of the bra to ensure fabric hygiene and a 24-hour rebound time to prevent chronic health risks like itchy skin, muscle numbness, upper back pain, and so forth.
One hand- Ruler designed for one hand disabled - WU Fan,HONG Sizhan
WU FanH and ONG Sizhan, the lead designers discovered that people with disabilities had high self-esteem. They believe they will be able to take some modest action. The marketable tape measure, however, typically requires two hands to use. Some persons with disabilities only have one hand, which makes it difficult for them to measure things using a tape measure. They created "one hand" to address this issue, which uses nano adsorption technology so that the handicapped may accomplish daily measuring tasks with just one hand. With careful product design, the designers seek to enhance the quality of life for the population of one-handed persons with disabilities.
Bean - Lulu Pennell
Bean, a 100% recyclable café chair, provides used coffee grounds and post-consumer recycled plastics a second chance at life. Whatever setting Bean is used in, it tells its users a sustainable tale. The chair retains a faint coffee flavour thanks to the inclusion of wasted grounds, making it the ideal match for any café or coffee shop. Coffee consumers will feel more at peace knowing that their trash isn't creating methane in a landfill and is instead giving them a comfy spot to sit while working or meeting up with friends.
Echo - Reily Cooper Jobe
The Echo is a navigational aid for the blind that consists of a set of headphones and a wand. In comparison to standard headphones, it employs 8 audio drivers with extreme surround sound to produce a more realistic soundscape. There is a transmitter on the wand and a receiver on the headphones, which simulates echolocation. The user may explore a location using just sound by hearing a higher pitched sound coming from where an object is closer in the headphones.
O.Sah - Maria Oleaga, Derek Thorton, Lily Mellor
a solar-powered, non-invasive prenatal care equipment to assist newly licenced nurses in determining, measuring, and keeping track of the main pregnancy indicators of gestational age, blood sugar levels, blood oxygen levels, blood pressure, and infection. The o.sah app analyses and pictures color-changing urine strips to assess a patient's gestational age, glucose levels, and screen for probable infections using urine samples as a sample. The wearable gadget measures blood pressure and blood oxygen levels on the wrist and sends the results to the o.sah mobile application.
Touchless Modular Express Disinfection Cabinet - Jiahao Liu
The "Touchless Modular Express Disinfection Cabinet" is intended to give consumers a quick and infection-free pickup tool. An UV disinfection light is a feature of the Express Disinfection Cabinet that offers efficient and automated disinfection and sterilisation for incoming expresses. Through an associated APP, the user may have the cabinet door open automatically. In order to build the disinfection cabinet in accordance with the size of the post, the modular express disinfection cabinet may also be customized.
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