Glasgow students sweep the board at product design awards
Winner creates self-powered cleaning device for feminine products
Congratulations go to students from Glasgow School of Art, who have achieved an unprecedented clean sweep, filling the first three places in this year’s Design Innovation in Plastics (DIP) competition with their brilliant off-grid products.
We are thrilled to announce that Innovate Product Design has once again sponsored the prestigious Design Innovation in Plastics (DIP) competition. This year’s event, held on July 5, 2024, saw exceptional talent from the Glasgow School of Art, whose students swept the board with their innovative off-grid products. Innovate Product Design remains committed to fostering creativity and innovation in the field of product design.
Celebrating Innovation and Practicality
The DIP competition, supported by The Worshipful Company of Horners and the Institute of Materials, Minerals, and Mining (IOM3), and headline sponsored by Covestro, is Europe’s longest-running plastics design competition for university undergraduates. This year’s brief challenged students to design an off-grid product for independent living, aimed at either leisure or household markets, primarily using plastics. The judges were highly impressed by the ingenuity and practicality of the entries, which addressed real-world issues with innovative solutions.
Top Honors for Glasgow School of Art
Isabel Payne, a Product Design Engineering student from Glasgow School of Art, won the first prize with her creation, SafiCase. This self-powered device cleans and steam sterilizes reusable menstrual cups using minimal water, making it an ideal solution for women in remote areas without access to electricity or running water. Isabel’s win includes a £1000 prize, a placement with a DIP sponsor, a year’s membership to IOM3, and an invitation to the Worshipful Company of Horners annual banquet.
Jake Lee, also from Glasgow School of Art, secured second place with SkinTemp, a cold-water temperature sensor designed to alert users to dangerous drops in body temperature. He wins £750 and a placement with a DIP sponsor. Third place went to Jem Mitchell for Sentree, a solar-powered sonic deterrent that protects trees from overgrazing by animals. Jem also receives a placement with a DIP sponsor and a £500 prize.
Special Recognitions
Highly commended awards were given to:
- Gargi Agrawalla from Loughborough University for Ear Boost+, a compact healthcare case for cochlear implants.
- Brandon Hopkins from London South Bank University for Saltbuoy, an oceanographic data buoy powered by salt-water batteries.
- Joe Shade from De Montfort University for Bijou Smart Hive, a solar-powered smart beehive.
Each of these finalists demonstrated exceptional creativity and problem-solving skills, reinforcing the importance of nurturing young talent in the field of product design.
