Develop a problem solving invention. That's the straight-to-the-point brief for the 2012 James Dyson Award which is now calling on entries from design students around the world.
The award is open to university level students of product design, industrial design or engineering, (or graduate within four years of graduation) in 18 countries - Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, UK and USA.
The international winner receives £10,000, with a further £10,000 going to the student's university department. Two international runners-up receive £2,000 each while national finalists get £1,000 each.
Australia is shooting for three in a row with the last year's prize being taken out by Edward Linacre for his Airdrop irrigation concept and the 2009 prize going to Samuel Adeloju for the Longreach Buoyancy Deployment System.
To enter, students need to submit footage, images and sketches, plus a detailed outline of the design process and the inspiration behind their idea to the James Dyson Award site.
Entries close on August 2, 2012, with the international winner to be announced on November 8.
"Young people have an unsullied view of the world," said James Dyson, the British industrial designer best known for his cyclonic vacuum cleaner range. "Budding engineers and designers can use their fresh perspective to develop wonderfully simple solutions to baffling problems. Original ideas and rigorously engineered projects will attract the attention of the judges. I challenge applicants to think big and use the award as a springboard for your idea."
For full details see jamesdysonaward.org
