MASTER DEGREE DESIGN STUDENTS LECTURE!

In last weeks lecture we had two master design degree students who presented there research which they are each doing in their course. This was one of my favourite lectures and was very inspiring to see what their thoughts and views were. Firstly Bruno was trying to push the boundaries and ask how can blind people use other senses to there full advantage to communicate? Also how can design help a disability? He made us aware that only 10% of blind people actually know braille in the UK. Thinking about it how do blind people actually know when there is braille around? Surely there is an easier way to communicate with the use of another sense. Bruno showed examples such as the six speaking chairs which is used for people who have speech problems so that they are able to communicate better. Could there be an easier way for blind people to find there way around.


http://imd.dundee.ac.uk/sixspeakingchairs/about.html

Maria McLennan was researching into how jewellery could identify people in disasters. She explained how there is primary evidence such as DNA, finger prints and dental records but what if you where unable to find out any of this. These are effective ways to identify people but in certain situations this isn't possible. There is then secondary evidence such as clothing, passport, tattoos and jewellery but this may not be still on the body. Maria is now trying to design jewellery for this which I feel is a huge challenge. She is going to have to design something which is always on the body - cannot be moved and something which is made of a strong durable material which can with stand pretty much anything.


These projects interest me a great deal as they are actually dealing with real situations which could change a lot in the world for the better and have a real stamp on the design industry.