Bronze Baby, Kids' and Children's Products Design · 2021

Gaaba Infant Cart

by Anri Sugihara

A' Design Award 2021 Bronze Winner in Baby, Kids' and Children's Products Design
Awarded April 15, 2021
CLIENT: RDS Co., Ltd.
Estimated Number of Design Views: 24,947
Verification code 78DF8D8193 · Verify this award

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About Gaaba Infant Cart

Gaaba is a large stroller for childcare facilities, designed to carry several infants in daily walks and during evacuation. The frame limits the loss of force caused by structural deformation, and carbon fiber reinforced plastic reduces the total weight. Large tires, additional steps and grips help the cart pass over rough ground. The handle position was set through motion analysis based on published average body data of childcare workers. Gaaba measures 1470 x 670 x 1010 millimeters and weighs 25 kilograms. The aim is to protect children and reduce daily strain on staff.

Press Kit

Unique Properties: A large stroller designed as a disaster prevention and evacuation device that enhances survivability by improving rough road running ability and safety as evacuation equipment in the event of a disaster, reducing the burden on childcare workers in normal times, and pursuing ergonomic ease of use. It is designed as a Dual Product (used in both normal times and emergencies) that combines these two goals and it can protect children in case of emergency.
Dimensions & Packaging: size:1470 x 670 x 1010
weight:25kg
Tags: kids, kindergarten, nursery, earthquake, infant,
Production Technology: The frame is designed to minimalize the loss of force due to the deformation of the structure. CFRP is used largely as the structural material to reducing the weight.
With the perspective of ergonomics, the position of the pushing handle were determined by the motion analysis performed for the average physique information of childcare workers published by the Japanese government agency.
In addition, large tires, additional steps and grips are equipped to break through rough terrain in evacuate.
Project Duration: The project started in August 2020 in Tokyo Japan.
Operation Flow: The existing carts weighs too heavy to operate and is a heavy burden for childcare workers, while the design of existing products has not changed significantly for a long time.
RDS Ltd., Co. has been engaged in R&D of various motor sports related products for years, and has been an official partner of F1 team Scuderia AlphaTauri in recent. We have applied the technology to Gaaba because we have refined the technology in the environment where light, strong and durable products are required.
Inspiration: Japan is one of the world's leading earthquake suffering countries. Countless lives had been lost in Tsunami and fire caused by giant earthquakes. Infant childcare facilities are no exception to suffer and it may require evacuation to the outside. A transporting infants who cannot walk on their own is indispensable. In addition, it's common in many childcare facilities to take a little walk with 4 to 5 infants on a cart to near park. Large strollers have been used for both daily and evacuate.
Image Credits: RDS Co., Ltd.