Press Release
Czero Reducing Viral Infections by Sophia Neill Is Granted the A' Design Award in Wearable Technologies Design
Sophia Neill honored for wearable technologies design by the international grand jury of the 2020 - 2021 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 23, 2021 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Czero Reducing Viral Infections by Sophia Neill, designed for Victoria University of Wellington, has been granted the A' Design Award in the Wearable Technologies Design category. The award was conferred within the 2020 - 2021 A' Design Award & Competition and was determined through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who scored anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
About the A' Design Award
The Iron A' Design Award is awarded to good designs that meet the rigorous professional and industrial standards set by the A' Design Awards. This recognition is reserved for works that demonstrate a solid understanding of design principles and show creativity within their execution. Recipients of the Iron A' Design Award are acknowledged for their practical innovations and contributions to their respective fields, providing solutions that improve quality of life and foster positive change. These designs are a testament to the skill and dedication of their creators, showcasing their ability to address real-world challenges through thoughtful design.
More About Czero Reducing Viral Infections
Czero is a wearable device made to reduce the spread of infections. The ring vibrates when the hand of the wearer comes near the face, giving a reminder not to touch it. An earring or pendant communicates wirelessly with the ring to sense this distance. Inside the ring are a transmitter, a receiver, a vibrator, an optical blood flow sensor, a temperature sensor, a microcontroller and a battery. Health data is sent to a linked application, which also gives reminders to wash the hands. The accessories are small and discreet.
About Sophia Neill
Sophia is a high achieving, innovator of design with a goal to produce exceptional and unique products for the future. Sophia brings passion and a new light to every design project she is involved in, exerting no limit to her creativity. Her ingenuity and originality is shown throughout the variety of projects in her portfolio.
Award Record
With this recognition, Sophia Neill is a winner of 1 A' Design Award.
About the A' Wearable Technologies Design Award
The A' Wearable Technology Design Award is an international competition recognizing good wearable technology designs by leading brands and designers worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to wearable technology designers, wearable technology brands, wearable technology manufacturers and fashion designers from all countries. Entries typically include smartwatches, fitness trackers, VR headsets, AR glasses, medical devices and smart jewelry. Awarded wearable technology designs are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/wearable-technology
About A' Design Award & Competition
A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/110895
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/110895
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!110895
- Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/276560
- Further Information from the Laureate: https://www.sophianeilldesign.com
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Czero Reducing Viral Infections
- Function
- Reducing Viral Infections
- Category
- Wearable Technologies Design
- Discipline
- Product Design
- Industry
- Electronics & Appliances and Fashion
- Colors
- Sienna, Tan, Indian Red, Saddle Brown and Rosy Brown
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Victoria University of Wellington
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Sophia Neill
- Country
- New Zealand
- Recognition
- A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2020 - 2021
- Design ID
- #110895
Credits
- Image Credits
- Chat Roulette, Single Friend, 2019
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Czero is a wearable device that vibrates when your hand is near your face reminding you not to touch it which would reduce transmission of infections notably. The ring is linked to an app that tracks your health and also alerts you to wash your hands before turning off.
- Inspiration
- Covid 19 and Influenza viruses have a rapid transmission rate which causes a huge threat when we are without vaccinations or cures. Although washing our hands has been encouraged during this time 80% of infections spread from touching our faces. Czero is a prevention tool intended for travellers. This diminishes overseas transmission and reduce a potential pandemic down to an endemic.
- Research
- Sophia began research by looking at Covid 19 and understanding the root of the issue. As Covid 19 is not predicted to be the only pandemic, Influenza is posing an increasing threat as we are expected to enter a post antibiotic era, where life threatening infections are deemed untreatable. To be able to successfully reduce the spread Covid 19 and other infections, Sophia chose to design an affordable product for a large target audience but majority travellers.
- Challenge
- This project began when challenged at university to create a new interaction that had some relevance to the Covid 19 pandemic. Sophias solution to this challenge was to remove the interaction of touching the face as 80% of infections are spread this way.
- Realization and Technology
- Inside a ring is a transmitter, receiver, vibrator, Photoplethysmography sensor (PPG), Negative Temperature Coefficient (NTC) sensor, Arduino and battery. The earring/pendant transmits and receives information wirelessly to the ring. When the ring and earring/pendant are close, the vibrator in the ring is activated until moved away. The PPG sensor tracks the blood flow under the skin. Body temperature is monitored through a NTC sensor. The Ardunio and transmitter sends this information to the app.
- Operation and Interaction
- Czero utilises pre existing technology in a revolutionary way, with the power to significantly reduce the spread of Covid 19 and other threatening infections that may arise in the future. This concept has considerable relevance to the current global crisis, increasing the demand for innovative and feasible designs. The ring and accessories are discrete, small and aesthetically pleasing which is rarely seen in healthcare products. Not only does this product break the dangerous habit we have of touching our faces, it also tracks the state of the user and informs them when they may have contracted an infection.
- Project Duration and Location
- This project was completed by a third year Industrial design student with Victoria University of Wellington during the Covid 19 lockdown period in New Zealand.
- Specifications
- Sizes vary between accessories.
- Keywords
- Ring, technology, travel, safety, health, app, covid 19
