Highlights from BU’s Festival of Design and Innovation

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A range of gadgets and technological advances designed to make an impact on society were showcased during Bournemouth University’s Festival of Design and Innovation.

The exhibition showcased the work of final year Design, Engineering and Creative Technology students.

This year, displays included a tunnel boring machine for laying cable, an atmospheric respirator, a trailer for use with hovercrafts and a product for treating jaundice in babies.

As part of their projects, students were encouraged to think about market needs, functionality, engineering, sustainability and style when creating their products.

Final year Music and Audio Technology student, Asha Blatherwick, spoke about her product, known as the SenseEgg.

“It’s basically an egg shaped device with loads of sensors that wirelessly communicates with the computer and is aimed at children with special needs. The idea is to provide them with another way to interact with music, rather than just using traditional instruments.

When asked about her inspiration for the creation, Asha said, “I did my placement in a special needs school so I think my inspiration came from that. I wanted to find a way to make it easier for students and teachers to communicate. The Festival has provided a good platform for lots of different people to see the product and interact with it.”

Alongside technology like the SenseEgg, were games reminiscent of Pokémon. Static Games Gameplay Programmer, Ryan Pinfield, spoke of his team’s contribution to the Festival – Mendel’s Farm.

“I’m part of a team of seven Games Technology students on our placement year at BU. We are a new company, just started in July 2013, which makes video games and is also client based as well.

“Our game is a resource management game that puts the player in charge of a failing farm. Their task is to keep the farm afloat, but there is a twist in that the animals can breathe fire or have other such mutant powers.

“As you progress through the levels, you unlock more mutations. We’ve been working on it for a year now and it is constantly updating. Hopefully the game will be released by the end of the year and we are looking forward to people’s responses.”

Speaking about the festival and the opportunity it provides students like Asha and Ryan, Professor Jim Roach, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology, said, “The Festival of Design and Innovation is where education meets industry and commerce, providing a showcase for our students’ skills in design and innovation. We take great pride in the quality of the project work and the ability of our students to employ the latest technology in the design of solutions to real problems.

“Many of the projects are the direct result of industrial collaboration, a successful placement year or are linked to one of our research centres. It is great to see our students working on a huge range of exciting, innovative and creative projects.”

Festival of Design and Innovation returns for 2014

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Bournemouth University’s (BU) Festival of Design and Innovation returns in 2014 to celebrate the creativity of designs and prototypes created by students.

The annual Festival, which takes place from 20-23 June 2014, is an exhibition of final year projects by Design, Engineering and Creative Technology students. Students are encouraged to create designs and prototypes of their inventions and creations for display during the Festival.

This year, displays include a tunnel boring machine for laying cable, an atmospheric respirator, a trailer for use with hovercrafts and a product for treating jaundice in babies.

Students are encouraged to think about market need, function, engineering, sustainability and style when creating their product – to come up with something that is instantly usable and marketable to a wide audience.

Professor Jim Roach, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology, said, “The Festival of Design and Innovation is where education meets industry and commerce, providing a showcase for our students’ skills in design and innovation.

“We take great pride in the quality of the project work and the ability of our students to employ the latest technology in the design of solutions to real problems. Many of the projects are the direct result of industrial collaboration, a successful placement year or are linked to one of our research centres. It is great to see our students working on a huge range of exciting, innovative and creative projects.”

Admission to the Festival is free and members of the public are encouraged to come along and have a look at the displays, engage with the student inventors and enjoy their work. Free tickets can be gained through the Festival’s website, where you will also find more information about some of the projects being displayed this year.

Previous Festival designs have gone on to be mass produced and sold in the UK – one such example is the Quick-Pitch pop-up tent, often called the ‘Festival tent’ for its ease of use, which was originally picked up by camping brand Gelert at the Festival of Design and Innovation.

The Festival takes place on Friday 20 June, Saturday 21 June and Monday 23 June, opening at 10am and closing at 4pm.

Ideas of tomorrow displayed at Festival of Design and Innovation

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A cake icing pen, a computer game controlled by brain power and a glamping pod were just some of the ground-breaking ideas and inventions on display at this year’s Festival of Design and Innovation (FODI).

The annual showcase of work by final year design and creative technology students at Bournemouth University ran for three days and was open to the public and industry, as well as pupils from schools and colleges who took part in special workshops.

More than 170 students from across courses including Product Design, Music and Audio Technology and Design Visualisation, showcased their designs, models and prototypes.

Among the work on show was a musical air hockey device, a lifting aid to transport heavy goods like washing machines easily and safely and an app to help school children learn their times tables.

Product Design student Coco Canessa has developed a precision cake icing dispenser, which is used like like a pen to prevent mess and waste while icing cakes.

“The idea initially was to relieve the pain and fatigue that people have to go through when they are doing it professionally.

“The more tired the arm gets, the less precise you are and the less control you have,” said Coco.

“Using this, you don’t have to get messy and the pressure is applied for you.”

Coco won the award for Most Commercially Innovative Product at the launch of FODI, where awards were given to students from each of the courses who have excelled.

“It felt brilliant to win the award – I was absolutely stunned and I’m so proud,” she said, adding that she had enjoyed exhibiting her work at FODI.

“It’s been great – lots of people have been asking for samples, and you learn what it’s like to present yourself and communicate your product.”

BA (Hons) Industrial Design student Maria Camila Fontalvo Delgado designed a glamping pod – a portable pod for people who want a luxury camping experience.

Maria who is from Columbia, has now been invited to display her idea at New Designers 2013, a London-based exhibition for emerging design talent.

“After lots of research I realised that glamping has been something that’s grown dramatically, but they still use the same types of accommodation, like tents and caravans,” said Maria.

“I wanted something that was very powerful visually so I made it like the metamorphosis of a butterfly, and it’s got a cooler, a sofa and a suspended hammock.

“I’ve had lots of interest and people saying they think it’s a real cool project.”

FODI is now in its 21st year, and attracted more than 1,000 visitors, including industry representatives and talent scouts.

Dr Bob Eves, Senior Lecturer in Industrial Product Design, said: “It gets the students going through the process and experiences of an exhibition and the opportunity of showing their work, which is great.

“There’s so much work that has gone into this and it’s really good to show the breadth of knowledge and experience that there is at BU.

“It just gets better every year.”

Find out more about FODI 2013 and the students’ projects