Design for life: Walking stick leads the way

24 : 05 : 2011 Tokyo : The Smile Cup : Health Management

Tokyo – Fujitsu has announced the winners of its annual design awards. This year’s competition, entitled Life with Future Computing, highlighted people-centered designs that Fujitsu believes will ‘open the door to new lifestyle possibilities’.

The Aid by Egle Ugintaite, Fujitsu Design Award 2011 The Aid by Egle Ugintaite, Fujitsu Design Award 2011
The Aid by Egle Ugintaite, Fujitsu Design Award 2011 The Aid by Egle Ugintaite, Fujitsu Design Award 2011

The winning concept, The Aid by Lithuanian designer Egle Ugintaite, incorporates mobile navigation and health management services into a cane, enabling users who have difficulty leaving their homes to become more active. The device monitors the user’s pulse, blood pressure and temperature, and contacts a help centre if immediate assistance is required.

The Smile Cup by Nikita Mokhirev was awarded a Judge’s Special Award. The emoticon-inspired design conveys the user’s mood through the use of a touch sensor, displaying the icon on the side of the cup. This information can then be relayed to social networks, or to a television, which can choose programmes depending on the data.

LS:N Global has explored the rise of intuitive technologies, and how these will shape our future homes and lives. For more information, read our Intuitive Futures macro trend.

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