Student innovators win big at the James Dyson Awards

Three student innovators have won the 2021 James Dyson Award, an international competition for design engineering students. The award received a record number of entries this year, prompting the organisers to offer three awards rather than the usual one.  

The “International Winner” went to HOPES, a wearable biomedical device for personal testing of intraocular pressure. The device, which is in the form of a glove having a fingertip sensor that is pressed against the eyelid, provides a more accessible way for people to monitor their own eye pressure to help with the early diagnosis of glaucoma.

The “Sustainability Winner” went to Plastic Scanner, a handheld device that allows easy identification of the type of plastic a product is made of, meaning plastics can be easily sorted for recycling.

The “Medical Winner” went to REACT, a rapid, inflatable tamponade device that is inserted into a stab wound to provide internal pressure directly to the bleeding site to quickly control the bleeding.

It is great to see such brilliant ideas coming from young people, along with an enthusiasm to make a difference. Each winner receives a £30,000 prize, which should enable them to progress their ideas further and make an even bigger impact. Watch this space!