2007 Student Design Competition - Inclusive Wireless: Out and About

Deadlines

• Submission Deadline: June 15, 2007

Downloads

• 2007 Student Design Competition (PDF version of this page)
• Registration form (pdf - 826 kiloBytes)
• Entry form - due June 15, 2007

About the Competition

The Wireless RERC* (Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies) is a partnership between Georgia Institute of Technology and Shepherd Center, a catastrophic care hospital located in Atlanta, Georgia. The Wireless RERC conducts research, development, and training to promote equitable access to wireless technologies for people of all ages and abilities.

Inclusive Wireless is an annual design competition sponsored by the Wireless RERC, beginning in Spring, 2007. Each year the primary focus of designing wireless technology to meet the needs of people diverse in age and ability will be coupled with a unique challenge. The challenge centers both on user needs and on situational impairments that impact the experience of all users. The purpose of this competition is to engender in future designers the sensitivity and expertise to meet the needs of people of all ages and abilities in the design of wireless technologies.

The Wireless RERC student design competition is endorsed by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).

The 2007 challenge, “Out and About,” asks students to address the following:

Large, busy public locations (e.g., airports, hospitals, museums, and stadiums) require individuals to locate important information while screening out a constant sensory barrage to vision, hearing, smell, and touch. This can be overwhelming for persons with cognitive, physical, or sensory limitations due to age, disability, stress, or environment. In addition, the mobile environment contributes to situational impairments preventing all users from interacting with a device. How can wireless technologies be used to mediate these problems and enhance the experience of people diverse in ages and abilities?

Awards

First, Second, and Third Place will be awarded. The faculty advisor to the First Place winner will receive $1000. The First Place winner will be provided airfare from a US point of departure, two night’s accommodation, and conference registration fee to attend the ICSID/IDSA 2007 World Design Conference in San Francisco, October 17-20, 2007. The winning entries will be showcased during the Universal Design Section presentation on October 20th.

Second and Third Place entries will be awarded $500 each. Additional entries will be recognized for “Honorable Mention” where appropriate, but this designation does not carry any prize.

Judging

A panel of wireless industry professionals, universal design experts, and people diverse in age and ability will select the award winners for Inclusive Wireless.  Judges will provide feedback for all submissions which will then be forwarded to the designer(s).

To select the award winners, the judges will focus on how the solution:

• enhances the experience of people diverse in age and ability;
• draws upon solid design research;
• addresses the wireless technology needs of people diverse in age and ability;
• addresses human factors;
• balances aesthetics with utility and usability;
• applies the principles of universal design;
• promotes equitable access
• is technically feasible;
• is innovative

Eligibility

Inclusive Wireless is open to undergraduate and graduate industrial design students who are enrolled in a degree program accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD) or who are individual student members of IDSA. Spring 2007 graduates are eligible as undergraduates if the project is completed before graduation. Students may submit more than one entry, but may not be awarded more than one prize. In the event a student submits more than one top-quality project, the judges will select one and award honorable mention to the other project. An individual or group may submit projects. In the case where a group is awarded First Place, only a single prize of transportation, two night’s accommodation, and conference fee will be awarded.

Submission Requirements

To accommodate for individuals diverse in age and ability, all images should be accompanied by alternative, descriptive text. Entries must include the following:

• 3 printed copies of the entry form and supporting materials. All printed material should be unfolded and fit into a 10”x13” envelope.
• 1 CD containing digital files of the entry form and supporting materials. File formats should follow the listed guidelines.

Supporting materials include:

• Maximum of 12 pages (each page should bear the name of the device), in PDF or word format, that depict:
  • The final concept
  • Project research
  • Concept development
  • Human factors evaluation
  • Mechanical or Technical layout
• Physical model(s)
  • Identify models with a small label bearing the name of the device.
• Video (optional)
  • 2 minute or less video in MPEG-4 format to support your design solution. Video must include audio description along with captioning.
• Notes
  • Names and affiliations must not appear on any of the submission materials except for the entry form.
  • All submission materials must be original work from the student(s).
  • Work submitted must not contain previously copyrighted material (images, photographs, music, etc.). Do not copy-and-paste elements from other sources. Submissions with such elements will be disqualified.
  • Work must have been completed following the date of competition announcement.
  • The Wireless RERC is not liable for any damages to submission materials.
  • To have your model returned, please include appropriate postage or shipping documents, packaging materials, and instructions. All other entry materials will not be returned.

Rights of Ownership

A patent application may need to be filed before submitting and displaying the work to preserve intellectual property rights in the design. The Wireless RERC recommends students seek advice from faculty, school legal counsel, the local bar (attorney) association or non-profit inventor groups to learn about intellectual property protection. The Wireless RERC is not responsible for obtaining patent or other intellectual property protection for your designs and are not responsible for any loss of intellectual property rights that may result from the submission of your design.

Promotion

The Wireless RERC and IDSA reserve the right to use submitted materials to publicize and publish entries. The Wireless RERC may request student photographs, biographical information, and additional copies of product images from each winner at the time of selection.

Deadlines

Participants must complete and return the registration form (pdf - 826 kiloBytes) by March 30, 2007.

All submission materials must be received by 5pm Friday, June 15, 2007. Winners will be notified by July 20, 2007. Participants will receive judges’ feedback by Aug. 3, 2007.

Please submit projects to:

Questions

Please contact: Vicki Haberman at 404-934-7397 or designcomp@shepherd.org