New Zealand Winner announced in 2010 Australian International Design Awards
Author: ICSID
Products including an intensive care hospital bed, new generation Cochlear implant system, revolutionary sheep drench gun, lightweight wine bottles and hybrid surfboard combining a longboard and shortboard are among 42 winners for 2010.
Presented by Standards Australia, the Australian International Design Awards is Australia's premier product design assessment program, recognising design and innovation excellence. Winners were announced at a gala event in Sydney on Friday 4 June.
An intensive care hospital bed designed with safety, comfort, ease-of-use and aesthetics in mind for patients, health practitioners and hospital staff won the 2010 top prize, Australian International Design Award of the Year.
Designed and manufactured by New Zealand based company Howard Wright, the M8 Intensive Care impressed judges with the attention to detail given to all aspects from the aesthetics and functionality through to the safety and comfort for all users, particularly the ability for a range of medical procedures to be undertaken without shifting the patient from the bed, reducing patient handling and risk of injury.
"To be named the Australian International Design Award of the Year a product needs to demonstrate outstanding performance across the six criteria of innovation, functionally, visual appeal, quality and manufacturing, human factors and environmental sustainability. The M8 Intensive Care exceeded all the criteria," said Stephanie Pemberton, Program Director of the Australian International Design Awards.
Ms Pemberton added that the judges were also impressed by Howard Wright's commitment to design as integral to the company's business growth strategy. Additional features designed into the M8 Intensive Care bed include:
- fully electric functions with onboard rechargeable battery
- sliding backrest and leg raise capability – providing greater patient comfort
- fold down ergonomic side rails with gas strut assisted raising
- integrated bed extension and linen rack
- telescopic pillars at either end of the bed and asymmetric design
- central locking and braking system and fifth wheel for easier manoeuvrability.
"The decision was not taken lightly by judges. This year, 42 products received a Design Award in recognition of design excellence and 69 were awarded a Design Mark for good design – a record number," Ms Pemberton said.
Of the 42 Design Award winners, nine products were nominated for the Design Award of the Year:
- M8 Intensive Care designed by Howard Wright
- Evoke conference seating system designed by Outerspace Design and Camatic
- Cochlear™ Nucleus 5 implant System designed by Cochlear and Blue Sky Design Group
- Enviromesh concrete reinforcing material designed by Infinity Design Development for OzSafe Industries
- ON task chair by Wilkhahn designed by Wilkhahn
- Baby Jogger City Mini Single stroller designed by Baby Jogger
- OPTILINE™ Sheep Drencher designed by Simcro and Novartis Animal Health
- Dyson Air Multiplier bladeless fan designed by Dyson
- Lean+Green Lightweight Wine bottle designed by O-I Australia.
The 2010 Australian International Design Awards Presentation Night was officially launched by Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation and Industry, The Hon Richard Marles MP.
View the winners online at www.designawards.com.au
Posted on: June 28, 2010