Computer game controller for children with disability has taken out the Hills Young Australian Design Award. This novel controller aid addresses the therapy needs of children with Cerebral Palsy by helping to develop motor skills in both the clinical and home environment through the use of computer games. It can improve the hand and arm function as well as the sense of touch with its immersive form of engagement, compared to physical therapy, by providing vibration feedback to the hands.
The device features a gaming control system designed to capture the interest and motivation of the children and assists the child to use both dominant and non-dominant hands to play games.
Hills Ltd CEO, Ted Pretty, said the judging panel was impressed by the ingenuity of the game controller and the opportunity it gives children with disability to play video games when they normally would not be able to do so.
The aid was designed by South Australian designer, Max Hughes in collaboration with Flinders University and the University of South Australia.
And an update on an earlier story about another finalist in the awards – the Multi-Fresh fruit bowl – which won the Powerhouse Museum award for product design. As well as being a clever piece of packaging the origami style fruit bowl not just protects fruit during transport but transforms into an attractive fruit bowl. This is coupled with a support program that provides employment opportunities for MultiCap, a Queensland based high-needs disability organisation that worked with Infinity Design to develop the ingenious design.
For more information visit: www.gooddesignaustralia.com