Ideas for improving life

An electric raised toilet seat, a robotic hand, a domestic defibrillator in a book and a ‘Safety Puff’ are among the winners at this year’s International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA). The prizes are organised by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) and hailed as a “celebration of brilliance”.

The Life Book by Korean student Sunil Kim took the gold prize in the Student Designs category. This home-friendly automated external defibrillator (AED) is designed in the form of a book, making it much easier to store and access in emergencies than traditional bulky AEDs.

A team from Kookmin University in South Korea took the silver award in the Student Designs category for their Safety Puff necklace, which helps prevent crowd crush accidents. Users can quickly assume a crush-prevention posture by pulling a cord with both hands, while an airbag inflates to create space in the chest. Judges said it “sets a new benchmark for safety in crowded environments, contributing to a safer society”.

An electric raised toilet seat picked up the silver prize in the Consumer Technology category. The design, by China’s Zhejiang Mateside Medical Devices Technology, is ideal for seniors and those with limited mobility. The seat has a one-touch operation and “innovative lift system” to reduce the strain of sitting and standing.

Meanwhile, a “highly adaptive” robotic hand that can mimic human movements was awarded the bronze prize in the Consumer and Industrial Products category. The DexH13 Tactile Dexterity Hand, by China’s Yingqi Huo PaXini Technology, “enhances robotic applications in complex environments, making it ideal for industrial and social services”, IDSA said.

Visit the International Design Excellence Awards to see the full list of winners.