Gray's School of Art Degree Show 2006

Kevin Ho, Design for Industry

Kevin Ho has developed ‘bowls’ with thermo and hydro-chromic technology which are decorated with cultural and historical facts about China that appear randomly over the bowls as food is moved around and the material heats to 30 degrees.

The bowl is also a sculpture and will be particularly fun and educational for children as well as making a novel present. As the diner eats, Chinese etiquette such as disrespectful chopstick positions and facts such as ‘ice-cream was developed in China in 2000bc’ and ‘half of the world’s population lives in China’ appear on the sculpture.

Amy Forbes, Design for Industry

Amy has designed an innovative product to help sufferers of dementia to regain their independence.  The device is worn on the wrist and resembles a watch. The invention is programmed with a number of simplistic symbols which represent basic daily activities such as taking medicine or eating a meal. The device will make a distinctive noise at programmed times which will draw the wearers attention to it, the face of the watch-like item will change colour and show the appropriate symbol.

The invention uses proven learning techniques and aims to, over time, make each activity become automatic. It is designed to resemble a watch so that it is discrete and no-one else need know it is being worn.

Amy said “Two of my grandparents had dementia and my mum works with people with dementia so it was a condition I was very familiar with. One of the main symptoms of these conditions is short-term memory loss which directly effects people’s independence, causing fear and frustration. They can forget to do every day things such as eat and take their medication, which compound the situation, and they become reliant on carers.

“By using the device people are constantly reminded of the things they need to do and over time they become automatic giving them back their independence and self confidence.”

Amy thoroughly researched the condition and worked with both suffers of dementia and charitable organisations such as Alzheimer’s Scotland to develop the device.

Edinburgh College of Art     Glasgow School of Art

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