To Seoul with Gusto: 48-hour Inclusive Design Challenge

Last month I was involved with a great British Council project in Seoul, S Korea. This was organised and managed by Julia Cassim from the RCA and by the British Council plus the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The 48 hour Inclusive Design Challenge saw me plus 6 other professional designers lead teams of around 6 or 7 designers (from a number of different countries) each working with a Korean disabled person in order to find insights which could drive innovation into the wider world. The whole experience was amazing - involving very intensive group working and immediate engagement with the needs of someone (in our group's case) who was profoundly disabled in another country and in another language. We had brilliant interpreters, very enthusiastic student helpers (who really stepped up to the mark) and very open enthusiastic designers as part of the team.

Our innovation (branded 'Aura') was all about presence and communication and attempted to highlight physical presence and promote engagement - this was then applied to the wider world from children's buggies to courier's boxes.

There's a more detailed account of the whole project here :-

http://bit.ly/6zXiWC

Gusto harnesses pedal power to teach about electricity

This summer (what summer?) Gusto have created a bicycle powered giant buzzer game to teach children about energy, electricity and alternative sources of power.

The project has toured primary schools in the Midlands as part of E.ON's Energy Experience programme. Presented by Konnie Huq, the Experience enables children to learn about energy through fun and activities. Funnily enough, they were most keen on getting their teachers to pedal the bike whilst they enjoyed the game!

TapTop water carafe is launched with Aldo Zilli & Rosie Boycott

The first batch of TapTop water carafes were delivered to Aldo Zilli at his Zilli Fish Soho restaurant on Tuesday. Rosie Boycott (Chair of London Food) and I delivered a box via rickshaw (how else!). Nazeing Glass are producing the carafes and it was the culmination of their and Thames Water's hard work. The carafes will now be rolled out around London restaurants, bars, cafes and hotels. It looks like my original option of frosted glass will be available as well as clear, blue and green. Companies can have their logos produced onto the side of the carafe as an option.

The project has come at an interesting time economically and environmentally and I'm sure we'll see more people exercising their right to drink (free) tap water with their meals. Tip-top-ety-tap; it's been fun for me!

Gusto Create Boots Smooth Skin iPL Device

Monday 10th February 2009 saw the launch in Boots of the Smooth Skin iPL device designed by Gusto for Cyden. iPL is Intense Pulsed Light which is a safe technology developed and patented by Cyden to remove hair and treat skin marks. Neil Barron worked with the Cyden team at all levels to produce a desirable, easy to use, ergonomic consumer product which takes the essence of the i400 clinical device (also designed by Gusto) and brings it into the home. So now you can take Boots vitamins or remove hair with Gusto!

Images courtesy of Boots and Cyden