Elementary StemAll three jurors appreciated the simplicity of the Elementary Stem, an elegantly engineered device designed to hold the handlebar and steering fork on a Freestyle BMX bicycle. Whereas conventional stems are secured by six bolts, Odyssey BMX developed a powerful clamping mechanism based on four wedge-shape pieces controlled by a single bolt. With fewer parts, the aluminum clamp weighs 8 ounces, half the industry standard. “It’s easier to adjust, can be left- or right-handed—there’s a lot of things they did well,” Ancona said. Because the complexity has been removed, added Johnson, “You’d be able to make any adjustments quickly, which is key for a bicycle racer.”
Design Odyssey BMX (Cerritos, CA): George French, mechanical engineer; Chris Cotsonas, industrial designer; Jim Bauer, graphic designerClient Odyssey BMXMaterials 2014-T6 aluminum; 4130 chromoly steelSoftware Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop; Form-Z RenderZone
LifeSync Wireless ECG System“For me, this project is an A,” said Seck of the LifeSync ECG, the first electrocardiogram system to eliminate the cumbersome cables between patient and monitor. “For the patient, this really reduces the scariness of being physically attached to a machine,” noted Johnson. Heart rate and respiration data are transmitted by wireless Bluetooth technology, which allows patients to be transported easily through the hospital and requires no expensive changes to the network infrastructure. The feature that secured an award for this Design Continuum?created medical device was the innovative disposable lead set: The standard jumble of individual electrode wires, which must be attached to the chest at specific points, has been replaced by an integrated ribbon, molded into the proper configuration to make mistakes all but impossible.
Design Design Continuum (West Newton, MA): Jack Gundlach, principal industrial designer; Scott Chapps, industrial designer; David Chastain, director, mechanical engineering; Ellen DiResta, principal, design strategy; Chris Hosmer, Kenneth Jewell, envisioners; John Bussiere, principal, engineering; Richard O’Brien, Matt Abelson, engineers. GMP Companies (Chicago): Ken Solovay, director of engineering; Bill Gregory, electrical engineer; Jason Gentry, program manager. Motorola Inc. (Northbrook, IL): Nick Hopman, Dan Williams. Rob Brady, Robrady Design (Sarasota, FL). Kevin Kitts, Motorola Energy Systems Group (Lawrenceville, GA). Tracey Lowe, Stonestreet One, Inc. (Louisville, KY). Art Schulze, Healthcare Technology Group (Wharton, TX)Client GMP CompaniesMaterials Injection-molded ABS; electronic components; laminated polyfilmHardware Bridgeport CNC; Z Corp Z Print machineSoftware Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop; ProEngineer; SolidWorks
ClearView Wrist Fixation System“A great product,” Johnson concluded about this external brace designed to immobilize a patient’s wrist after it has been fractured. The Rigid FX Orthopedics team raised the benchmark for a product typically made of metal. Molded in translucent lightweight polycarbonate, the ClearView Wrist Fixation System offers more comfort than comparable devices, and its sleek lines won’t snag on clothing. Moreover, the see-through material gives surgeons an unobstructed view of the trauma area, a characteristic ClearView’s creator, H. Mark Estrada, sought after working as an OR scrub nurse. Estrada began by making balsa-wood prototypes and refined the design with input from surgeons and patients. Ancona appreciated the simplicity: The device can be assembled and tweaked during surgery—a first. “The ability to make infinite adjustments represents a real jump in innovation,” he said. “It would be much easier to set a wrist correctly.”
Design H. Mark Estrada, president, Rigid FX Orthopedics Corporation (Austin, TX) Client Rigid FX OrthopedicsClient Rigid FX OrthopedicsMaterials GE Lexan HPS7 Software Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt
Omega Haptic Device“C’est jolie,” Seck said of the computer-input device. “Like a Formula One car, there’s an integrity to the shape, nothing superficial, the design is the function.” The Omega, a sort of super-mouse, gives users tactile feedback (resistance, for example) as they move a virtual object through 3-D space. The so-called haptic technology has applications in medical simulations and surgeries, telerobotics, and hazardous material handling, among other fields. With the Omega, the Swiss company Force Dimension aimed to deliver its advanced haptic system in an easy-to-use, low-cost robotic structure of jointed aluminum bars and actuators that display personality and convey precision. While Seck and Johnson thought users would respond to the technical appearance, Ancona dissented, saying that it looked “too Edward Scissorhands.”
Design Force Dimension (Lausanne, Switzerland): Fran?ois Conti, SZbastien Grange, Patrick Helmer, Patrice Rouiller, design and engineering. Ecole cantonale d’art de Lausanne: Luc Bergeron, professor, head of R&D department; Laurent Soldini, assistantClient Force DimensionMaterials Injection-molded plastic; stainless steel; anodized and polished aluminumSoftware ProEngineer; Protel
Speedmaster XL 105 Printing Press“Exquisite,” Johnson enthused about Heidelberg’s Speedmaster XL offset printing press. Right-angled convex covers and a gray-and-silver color scheme reflect a new corporate identity. But more than a simple makeover, the 105 boasts larger sheet sizes and the ability to process 18,000 sheets per hour. The unit also introduces key safety and ergonomic features, such as handrails, textured metal steps to prevent slipping, and molded handgrips. “I’ve seen a lot of machines in a lot of factories,” said Ancona, “and this is really beautiful.”
Design Björn Wilke, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg, Germany)Client Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AGMaterials SteelSoftware Form-Z
Crown ST3000 and SX3000 Series Stackers“Year after year, these guys do a great job,” Bruce Ancona said, “in part because they do the research.” Crown’s in-house team talked to 60 customers, in places ranging from German wine cellars to an Australian tool-and-die shop, before designing the 3000 Series, a replacement of its near-legendary M-stacker. The team’s emphasis on usability is evident in the center-mounted control handle, sloped power-unit cover, and spacing of the masts, all of which increase operator visibility. A human-lifting platform and thoughtful accessories like a clipboard and a hook for hanging a tape roll or scanning gun support a range of warehouse tasks. Johnson admired the X10 handle in particular: The result of rigorous ergonomic testing, it allows operators to maintain a neutral wrist position as they drive one-handed.
Design Crown Design Center (New Bremen, OH): Adam Ruppert, Roger Quinlan, Jeff Burger, Peter Bartlett, John SchrenkClient Crown Equipment Corpor
ationMaterials Steel; glass-reinforced nylon; polyurethaneSoftware Adobe Photoshop; Ashlar-Vellum; Macromedia FreeHand; Unigraphics
Sonoline G20 Ultrasound System Siemens Medical Solutions worked with Designafairs (a Siemens-owned but independently operated company in Mountain View, California) to develop the G20, an ultrasound machine for small clinics and Third World healthcare facilities. The goal was to create an inexpensive ($30,000-$50,000) system without sacrificing performance. Designafairs trimmed costs by minimizing the number of parts: Hooks for holding power cables, for instance, are integrated into molded plastic body panels, and a unique clamshell form reduced the number of panels from four to two. The G20’s streamlined body is appropriate for small spaces, and its color, finish, and subtle curves tie it into the Sonoline product family. The jurors were impressed with the unit’s visual resolution: Johnson particularly noted the “well-thought-out interface,” which the user can operate sitting or standing.
Design Designafairs USA (Mountain View, CA): Stephen Hooper, Dean Bidwell, Andrew Walston, Treasure Hinds, Jules Ko, Kathi KueblerClient Siemens Medical Solutions (Issaquah, WA)Materials Injection-molded plastic; die-cast aluminum; welded steel frame; silicon membrane switches with plastic keycapsSoftware Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop; Alias; ProEngineer; Rhino