Sept. 10, 2007 issue - A growing movement in
the design industry seeks to go beyond esthetics and into more socially
responsible work. Last week, the prestigious European design
organization, Index, held its annual Design to Improve Life awards in
Copenhagen (indexaward.dk). TIP SHEET takes a look at the winners:
Nice Things: (Clockwise from top) The Tesla Roadster, Mobility for Each One and the XO Laptop. Photos: Courtesy of INDEX
The lightweight, durable XO Laptop
is sunlight-readable and shock- and moisture-resistant, important
qualities to the large number of kids in the world whose classroom is
outdoors. Better yet, the computers are only $100 each.
Made with low-cost materials like glass fiber and low-tech production methods, the Mobility for Each One is
a prosthetic foot that costs only $8 to produce. The prototype uses the
same compression-propulsion technology in fancy prosthetics that even
allows wearers to run.
The fully electric Tesla Roadster
produces zero emissions and accelerates from zero to 60 in four
seconds, and its battery takes less than four hours to recharge. At
$100,000, it's expensive, but with a fuel-efficiency equivalent of 135
miles per gallon, Tesla claims you'll spend less than two cents a mile.
The four-liter Solar Bottle
was designed to improve on a solar-water disinfection system that uses
the sun's UVA radiation and heat to destroy diarrhea-causing bacteria.
The bottle's wide, transparent side allows for more exposure to UVA
rays, its aluminum side absorbs heat and its flat shape allows for easy
storage.
The Tongue Sucker
does just what it says: suctions the tongue out of the airway of an
unconscious person, keeping oxygen flowing to the brain for the crucial
few minutes before the paramedics arrive. Developed by four
industrial-design engineers after the London bombings in 2005, the
Tongue Sucker was designed to be included in first-aid kits.
Created to eliminate the spread of infected syringe needles, the Antivirus cap attaches to a used soda can, turning the empty vessel into an enclosed container for infected needles.
Winners
walked away with €100,000, and surely a great amount of satisfaction
knowing they will improve the quality of life for many in need.--Charlene Dy and Christina Gillham
