It was heartening to see that many projects featured at Swinburne’s Product Design Engineering graduate show, Inside Out, had a humanitarian focus. Problems effecting people of all ages and backgrounds everyday were solved with some creative, ingenious ideas.

Swinburne believes ‘Product Design Engineering is a combination of two traditionally separate fields, each with its own strength: engineering with its scientific material; and manufacturing with industrial design with its human centred approach.’ This ethos is demonstrated through the number of projects derived from a human requirement.

Many projects focused on medical solutions for various conditions or problems. Jacki Downing’s Rehab Box ‘aims to facilitate rehabilitation without a trained physiotherapist being present’ by outputting light, movement and vibration to ‘encourage/reward user movements’.

Dan McConnell’s Aquatic Spinal Cord Injury Treatment board was designed to remove an injured patient from water without causing further spinal damage that could potentially affect the patient for the rest of their lives.

Burnaid+ by Frankie Ngan is a ‘medical device designed for the emergency treatment of burn injuries within the first 30 minutes …Using thin-film technology, the product utilises planar Peltier cooling on a flexible substrate powered by Thinergy Micro-Energy Cells.’ This device is even re-usable when used dressing is replaced.

Lee Xuan Quan, Dennis’s Muscular Dystrophy Stretching Bed is specifically designed for children with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Muscles stretched with this device include hamstring, hip flexor and calf muscles. This device is also adjustable to suit children of different sizes and ages.

It is shocking to learn that Australia ‘has the world’s highest rate of asbestos related illness and deaths which are constantly rising’. Asbestos was originally used as a fire retardant building material from the late 1800s to 1980s, so is unfortunately a common problem in many buildings. Hugh Tevelein’s Asbestos Detection Unit is ‘designed to alert tradesmen to the presence of asbestos. The units can detect asbestos particles on any surface whilst protecting the user from any possible asbestos contact.’ The vacuum device collects a sample in a safe filtered, disposable nozzle.

Michelle Rosevear’s “Light Play” – Hydrotherapy Top ‘is designed for children with disabilities’. Designed to be used in water, this creation encourages ‘standing, walking and limb strengthening’ exercises for children with cerebral palsy and autism spectrum disorders. The device omits a visual light response to a child’s movements, encouraging them to play more.

Konrad Flecknoe-Brown’s Auti-cubes also encourage play for children with autism through ‘the use of exciting colours and textures to captivate the user with forms of exploratory and imaginative play.’

Children’s fitness and activity were also considered in the exhibition, through projects from Alexander Knorr and Wil J Symington. Live Score by Wil was developed with an ‘aim of increasing and encouraging physical activity in children to prevent childhood obesity.’ Movement is identified and then encouraged with sound, visuals and vibrations.

Alexander Knorr worked with adidas to create Activate – Fit for Life which is a system ‘designed to motivate children to get active and stay active.’ This device consists of three components; a silicon wrist brand, USB receiver to track movement and interactive RFID cone to measure time.

Some of the other designs focused on increasing mobility, particularly for the elderly. Neil Strohbeck’s Stair Capable Rollator branded with ‘Liberty’ lived up to its name. This device can be installed in a client’s home, allowing them to move up and down stairs with ease, but also using this rollator as a regular walker around their home.

The Access Shower by Jason Pickering featured ‘ample holing rails and a folding seat design…The multiple spray head configurations provide thorough washing coverage, while sitting and the simple controls allow easy water control adjustment.’ This design will cater for Australia’s over 65 population which will increase from 2 million to nearly 7 million by 2056.

James Harris developed Self extinguishing bins as a preventative measure to reduce some of the 1400 bin fires that occur in Melbourne’s CBD each year. Fires are prevented by separating cigarette butts from other general waste. ‘This product has the potential to save millions of dollars and hours of hard work by the Fire Brigade each year.’

Network Cool – Refrigerated Locker System by Nicholas Johnston explored other ways in which consumers can purchase food. By cutting out supermarkets and receiving deliveries directly from producers, consumers can benefit from fresher food at a better price.

Efficient use of energy was also considered in some projects. Manuel De Rivero’s Micro Hydro Generator ‘is a portable river turbine that can be placed in rivers of remote areas and third world countries. Using this product the flow of rivers will be able to generate enough electricity to run basic appliances in a small house or community.’

Christian Grossi explores the use of wind as an alternative source of green energy. The clever part of this project is that Christian utilises existing structures – power poles to host his system, hence ‘conversion of wind energy to grid creditable energy takes place over a few meters, resulting in minimal set-up and thousands of potential locations for installation within Australia.’

The 1000 Pound Bend Gallery was the perfect location for this exhibition. Open warehouse space was introduced with a grungy café selling amazing coffee for the cheapest price we have seen in Melbourne ($2.50, bargain!). The caravan parked at the back of the gallery seemed to be at home with the selection of southern gospel and country tunes playing in the background.

Swinburne’s Product Design Engineering course has been responsible for turning out a group of talented designers that are aware of the world around them and the daily problems posed for its inhabitants. With such a caring group of designers emerging into the industry, ARTS THREAD looks forward to some exciting innovations from the graduates of 2009.

Swinburne Product Design Engineering course

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