Owen Sutton
Striving to improve products that I have personally found faults with. I use personal events as a driving force for anything I design, in order to hopefully improve a product for someone in a similar situation. With each design, I hope to promote some level of awareness..
Last Defence
“The history of epilepsy can be summarised as 4,000 years of ignorance, superstition, and stigma followed by 100 years of knowledge, superstition, and stigma."
This is a subtle approach to protect oneself during the initial fall when having a seizure. This headgear adds an extra layer of protection while remaining discreet, preventing the wearer from feeling isolated or like a walking patient. Research shows that there is so much stigma connected with the condition that individuals with epilepsy would typically avoid public areas, even more so if they were to wear a hat that is meant for sufferers owing to its attention-grabbing design. The hat's purpose is to keep the wearer safe whilst not broadcasting that they have epilepsy to the rest of the world. The hat is constructed of a smart material called PORON XDR, which is exceptionally impact resistant and therefore should protect the wearer from serious harm.
The 9 Hole Peg Test
Physiotherapy is of vital importance to any patient who requires it, yet the tools used are often so one-dimensional and uninspiring. The goal of this specific 9-hole peg test is to make it increasingly difficult for the patient as they progress. With 19% of individuals in the UK visiting a physical or occupational therapist, it's hard to believe that more products aren't being developed to aid a demographic that desperately needs to improve their dexterity.
The 9-HPT is a standardised, quantitative test of upper extremity function. The pegs are taken from the dish and placed in one of the holes by the users. This procedure is continued until all pegs have been inserted into the holes. Then comes the task of removing the pegs. The patient is timed to see how long it takes them to finish, with the goal of beating their previous time. With this version of the test, the user can reduce the size of the dish and the holes themselves, increasing the difficulty level. This means the user will use it for longer due to the product increasing in difficulty. Although this is a simple concept, it has not yet been explored in the market.
