Award Winners 2001 DESIGN COMPETITION FOR NEW PRODUCTS FOR MATURE MARKETS PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY Silver Award Bronze Award Honorable Mention Award STUDENT CATEGORY Gold Award Silver Award Bronze Award Honorable Mention Award   PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY Silver Award SAFEHIP Designed by: George M. Ferencik and Jes B. Lauritzen, Tytex Inc., Woonsocket, RI. Manufactured by: Tytex Inc. SAFEHIP is a girdle-like garment that acts much like a crash helmet. Protective shields sewn into the fabric redistribute the impact of a fall to surrounding soft tissue, thereby preventing or greatly reducing the risk of hip fracture.   Silver Award, Second Place OXO GOOD GRIPS UTILITY KNIFE Designed by: Dave Schiff, Richard Whitehall et al., Refac Design, Edgewater, NJ. Manufactured by: Refac Design. The Oxo Good Grips Utility Knife features a form-fitting handle that ensures a stable, more relaxed, and safer grip for hands of all sizes. The blade retraction button is positioned to prevent accidental actuation. Tool-free blade replacement and storage are added conveniences.   back to top Bronze Award UNIVERSAL BATHROOM Designed by: Abir Mullick, Drew Kelley and Edward Steinfeld, Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access, Buffalo, NY, with the support of the National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research, U.S. Department of Education. Universal Bathroom systems are designed on the premise that bathrooms should prolong independent use and allow the user to be assisted by another person such as a care provider. Though it is not available commercially, the bathroom design features moveable fixtures or panels. Their arrangement can open up space in the bathroom as needed, can accommodate caregivers and can make use comfortable for people of all statures and levels of ability.   COMFORTEMP THERMOMETER Designed by: Bryan Hotaling and Jon Rossman, Product Insight Inc., Acton, MA. Manufactured by: Product Insight Inc. ComforTemp is an axillary (underarm) thermometer for the home that uses infrared technology to improve convenience of use. Users position its sensor tip against the underarm and push a single button; the temperature displays seconds later. The ComfortTemp is noninvasive, fast and easy to use.   SIEMENS CRESCENDO HEARING PHONE Designed by: William Dorr, Robert Henshaw and Phil Palermo, Formation Design Group, Atlanta, GA. Manufactured by: Siemens Hearing Instruments. The Siemens Crescendo Phone enables individuals with varying degrees of hearing impairment to engage in telephone communications more easily. The removable Magic Cone adaptive earpiece optimizes the acoustic performance of the phone and allows physical space for hearing aids worn outside the ear. The telephone also features large, high-contrast graphics, an adjustable volume button and a backlit ring indicator to augment the audible ring.   back to top Honorable Mention TURNABOUT BY RASCAL Designed by: Michael Flowers, William Kempf et al., Electric Mobility Corporation, Sewell, NJ. Manufactured by: Electric Mobility Corporation. The Rascal Turnabout is a battery-powered wheelchair, or scooter, that offers front-wheel drive for increased indoor maneuverability and rear-wheel drive for outdoor stability. Users can switch between modes quickly and easily by swiveling the seat. A joystick controlling both speed and direction enhances users' sense of control. The device's load compensation algorithm, which maintains consistent speed in varying environments, ensures a smooth ride.   E.WORKOUT Designed by: Neil Goldberg and Imraan Aziz, Praxis Design, Emeryville, CA. The e.Workout is a compact, adjustable exercise device that resembles a miniature stair step machine but is used in a sitting position. It offers users cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and respiratory benefits. The product is designed for people of all ages and levels of ability--especially those who sit for prolonged periods or those in rehabilitation. When not in use, e.Workout may be folded up for easy transport.   CLOSE ENOUGH CLOCK Designed by: Hal Harrison, Boca Raton, FL. The Close Enough Clock, which makes time-telling easier for the vision-impaired and the nonimpaired, is in concept form and is available as a Windows program at www.closenough.com. A large, easy-to-read number indicates the hour, and the fractions of the hour are represented with shaded figures. The fraction display changes once every five minutes, so that the user need only distinguish one of 12 fraction-of-the-hour possibilities instead of attempting to recognize one of the 60-minute choices of a conventional clock.   back to top   STUDENT CATEGORY Gold Award SIMPLICITY RANGE Designed by: Cam Frith, Zsolt Kovacs, Mary Ellen Lamont and Sophie Wilderdjik, University of Alberta, Edmonton. The Simplicity Range is a product concept designed to facilitate food preparation by older adults. Special features of this appliance include a gliding door that pulls straight out; a button-operated motorized rack that moves up to the level of the stovetop; flat, high-contrast, easy-to-clean inductive elements designed to heat only metal cookware; and large dials with 180-degree turning ranges and incremental clicks. While these special features make the range appropriate for elders, its aesthetic and ergonomic styling make it universally appealing.   back to top Silver Award GTSC PIVOT PACK Designed by: Greg Burgess, Tara Heimsoth, Cheryl Strydhorst and Sonia Wong, University of Alberta, Edmonton. The Pivot Pack concept is a storage compartment designed to allow a person using a wheelchair to easily access the contents of the pack; the compartment also keeps the pack secure from theft when not in use. The user simply pulls a strap, and the pack travels along a dual track and pulley system from the back of the wheelchair into the user's reach at the side of the chair. When returned to storage behind the chair (by pulling the same strap), the opening of the pack faces the back of the user, keeping the contents secure.   back to top Bronze Award EASY-FIT SHOE Designed by: Spencer Tong, Jenora Kuperus and Quynh Dang, University of Alberta, Edmonton. The Easy-Fit Shoe is designed to provide a comfortable fit and maximum stability but to require minimum effort to put on and take off. Kevlar laces pass through pulleys on the sides of the shoes and are tightened at the back of the shoe by a toggle-like pull tab. To put on the Easy-Fit Shoe, the user, in a seated position, simply slips on the shoes. To tighten laces, the user pulls the lace loop at the back of the shoe, which is secured by the pull tab. To remove the shoe, the user simply pulls the tab again, loosening the laces, and the shoes slip off easily.   back to top Honorable Mention UNIVERSAL SEAT Designed by: Manuel Saez, University of Bridgeport, New Haven, CT. This concept design for an automobile seat is designed to improve safety and comfort for passengers of all ages. The Universal Seat swivels out of the vehicle when passengers are getting in and out of the car. A pressure mapping system, which detects the height and weight of the passenger, automatically adjusts the proportions of the seat, thereby improving the efficacy of the restraint system. Large, easy-to-operate seat controls give the passenger command over his or her comfort; several safety features prevent inappropriate seat adjustments by children or other passengers while the vehicle is in motion.   H2GO WATERING DEVICE Designed by: Karen Pentland, Anton Beardmore, Kim Dearden and Erin Phelan, University of Alberta, Edmonton. This product concept is an enhanced watering can designed to minimize hand and wrist strain, decrease fatigue and improve safety of use. To pick up the can, the user puts his or her hand into a cushioned opening in the center of the watering can. The weight of the water on the forearm relieves stress on the hand and immobilizes the wrist, protecting it from injury. A second hand-grip on the top of the can allows the user to grasp the can with two hands. The H2Go design allows ambidextrous use.   SWIVEL/SLIDE TUB SEAT Designed by: Andrew McCallan and Ryan Scott, University of Alberta, Edmonton. This tub transfer seat, equipped with a track system, is designed to protect the skin of the user and facilitate the transfer process. Unlike traditional tub transfer seats, which require the user to slide across a bench, the Swivel/Slide Tub Seat slides completely into the tub, eliminating the need for changing seats and reducing friction against fragile skin.   HAND-I IRON Designed by: Pierre Moquin and Kevin Ouchi, University of Alberta, Edmonton. The contoured, slide-in grip of the Hand-i Iron product concept facilitates ironing for those with hand or wrist pain or for those with limited hand strength or range of motion. By redistributing the weight of the appliance, this design reduces stress upon the joints of the hand and wrist, and stabilizes the wrist, making use easier, safer and more comfortable.   COMPACT SINGLE LENS 35 MM CAMERA Designed by: Manuel Saez, University of Bridgeport, New Haven, CT. The Compact Single Lens concept is a waterproof, autofocus, zoom-lens 35 mm camera designed to accommodate a wide range of users. The large, easy-to-read controls are centrally located, allowing comfortable right- or left-handed use by hands of all sizes. The generous viewfinder makes it possible to photograph without squinting.   back to top JUDGES The American Society on Aging and ProMatura Group are grateful to the judges of the 13th Annual Universal Design Competition. These internationally known experts in universal design lent their insight and experience to the awards competition, making it possible for us to recognize innovative mature market products from professional and student designers. Our sincere thanks to Margaret Christensen of Lifease, Minneapolis, MN; Pascal Malassigne of MIAD, Milwaukee, WI; Patricia Moore of Guynes Design, Phoenix AZ; James Mueller of J. L. Mueller, Chantilly, VA; and James Pirkl of Transgenerational Design, Albuquerque, NM.

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