Dyson’s Annual Search for Top Kiwi Inventor Begins

Dyson’s Annual Search for Top Kiwi Inventor Begins

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Emerging New Zealand designers with exciting new product ideas have until 1 July 2010 to submit their designs for the annual James Dyson Award.

Judges are seeking innovative design concepts which provide solutions for everyday problems. Previous award submissions include a hydration blanket customised for stranded whales, a nebuliser not reliant on electricity to administer medicine to patients and a practical yet stylish skateboarding shoe with a replaceable outer shell and washable inner.

Last year’s winning product Tretech, an ultrasound tool designed to quickly measure the commercial worth of forests, was designed by Massey University industrial design graduate Tim Cox.

Tim drew on his family’s 25 year history of working in the forestry industry to develop Tretech. He identified the need for a multifunctional product capable of measuring forest woodlots prior to felling, that would eliminate double handling of data; reduce time, costs and human error.

New Zealand’s 2010 James Dyson Award recipient will travel to the UK with $3,000 prize money and accommodation in London, and have the opportunity to meet key members of the UK design community, including a tour of Dyson’s world class design facility. Plus, they will receive $3,000 legal or business advice from Auckland firm, Farry.Co, a prize package from IPONZ tailored to their design’s intellectual property needs, and a year’s membership to the Design Institute of New Zealand (DINZ).

Entries will be evaluated by three local judges headed by 4ormfunction Director David Lovegrove and assisted by Methven Head Designer Kent Sneddon and a representative from the British Council of New Zealand.

The Award is open to any student of design (or graduate within four years of graduation) studying in the areas of design, technology or engineering.

All New Zealand entries will also be in the running for the national People’s Choice Award and the international James Dyson Award, with GBP£10,000 going to the winning student or team, another GBP£10,000 to the current or former student’s university department and an opportunity to visit Dyson’s engineering facilities in either the UK or Malaysia.

The James Dyson Award in New Zealand, formerly the Dyson Product Design Award, was set up by Avery Robinson Ltd - distributors of Dyson in New Zealand. The New Zealand Award is hosted in association with the British Council New Zealand, DINZ, Farry.Co Law and IPONZ.

The James Dyson Award is supported by the James Dyson Foundation, a registered charity whose aim is to inspire and excite young people about design engineering.

Interested applicants can enter at www.jamesdysonaward.org

Entries close on Thursday 1 July 2010, and the winner will be announced at an award ceremony held in Auckland later that month.
ENDS