India says no thanks to the $100 laptop

...according to a wire story picked up in the Indian newspaper The Hindu , the Indian government – one of the largest would-be customers for the machine – has decided that it’s not interested in buying them. Worse for Negoponte, whose One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) non-profit, working with Taiwanese PC maker Quanta Computer, is working to come out with its first models by the end of the year, the Indian official who announced the news didn’t hesitate to criticize the whole idea of the $100 laptop. Education Secretary Sudeep Banerjee’s view: “We do not think that the idea of Prof Negroponte is mature enough to be taken seriously at this stage and no major country is presently following this. Even inside America, there is no much enthusiasm about this.” ... read more at BusinessWeekonline

MVURA - WATER PURIFIER

1.2 Billion People in the world do not have access to safe drinking water resulting in 2.2 million deaths each year. Mvura is a household water purifier targeted at rural Africa. It is intended to be distributed through aid organisations already operating within communities in need. The cost will therefore be subsidised and the product introduced with training on hygiene and the use and maintenance of Mvura. It utilizes the simple technique of pasteurization using solar heat. 15 litres of water is heated to 65ºC within two hours, which kills all harmful bacteria.

Mvura (meaning 'water') is culturally sensitive in its design to be carried on the head. It is then opened into a pasteurization position. In this state a large surface area of water is exposed to solar heat. This combined with the small depth, black bottom and insulating panels all aid in maximising heat absorption. The panels also serve to protect the bag of water during transport. Soybean wax melts at the appropriate temperature to indicate that the water is pure enough to drink. With replacement parts readily available and its easily repaired hinges, Mvura is designed to be sustainable at a local level.

Industrial design graduate, from The Faculty of the Built Environment, Julie Frost has been awarded the Bronze Australian Design Award - Dyson Student Award respectively at the 2006 Australian Design Awards.

Link to Dexigner article over Mvura

Universal Hanger

Any sheet material which has a sufficient safety factor (cardboard, corrugated cardboard, thin sheet plastic material) is the main material for the structure of the “universal hanger”. The hanger can be used in clothing stores, hospitals, hotels and other institutions. Due to the minimal thickness of the pattern it is convenient for warehousing and transportation (1000 pieces 3mm thick form a pile 3000mm high). The pattern is transferred to the complete product very quickly and easy. The sheet of the material obtains its volume and final look of the object ready for the proper use. All the hanger area can serve as a big surface for graphics and ads.

thanks to Core77 clogger

website of industrialdesign.ru

INDEX:Award 2007

Design to Improve Life -design that substantially improves important aspects of peoples' lives.
INDEX: asks that nomination bodies to think horizontally – across design categories and industries – when selecting the best nominees for the five categories vital to human life: Body, Home, Work, Play and Community.

Hippo Roller and Life straw were among the past winners.

Index homepage
Last date for nomination: November 18, 2006