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The seventh annual Safety Products Student Design Challenge winners have been announced by the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI). The annual contest is developed and supported by two divisions of IFAI, Safety and Technical Products and the Narrow Fabrics Institute, and encourages post-secondary functional design training and the use of technical textiles in protective and safety applications. Students were challenged to design original projects which protect people or property from hazards.
The 2010 Challenge paired interested students with mentoring companies which supplied both fabrics and advice. The winning projects were chosen by a team of industry members who have extensive knowledge about the requirements of protective products. Dr. Seshadri Ramkumar associate professor in the Department of Environmental Toxicology, Texas Tech University, chaired the IFAI Safety and Technical Products committee overseeing the 2010 competition.
The Safety and Technical Products association will bring the first-place team to Orlando, Fla., to present their project to the industry at the IFAI annual meeting on Oct. 27th, to the Safety and Technical Products business meeting the same day; and to attend IFAI Expo Americas 2010, taking place Oct. 27-29. The top three designs and their schools are also awarded cash prizes. The winning designers and their projects:
First Place: Aircraft marshaller’s safety jacket
Designers: Matthew Bartels, Sara Deshone and Armine Ghalachyan
Instructor: Dr. Maureen MacGillivray
School: Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, Mich., U.S.A.
The aircraft marshaller’s safety jacket, a two-layer cold weather system, incorporates LilyPad Arduino technology, electronics designed for e-clothing and e-textiles. The jacket follows the safety requirements and standards for this type of garment to safeguard the wearer in unfavorable visibility conditions and to provide protection from adverse weather. It is innovative and original in integrating LED lights into the sleeves of the garment, eliminating the need for handheld lighted wands used by aircraft marshallers. The lights on the jacket can be switched on and off and are controlled and powered through the LilyPad Arduino.
Second Place: Mountain bike armor for females
Designer: David De Courcy
Instructor: Adam DeEyto
School: Institute of Technology Carlow, County Carlow, Ireland
The mountain bike armor is an innovative answer for female mountain bike riders, fulfilling the needs of comfort, support and protection. Working with two major suppliers of flexible, breathable materials, the garment provides breast support, abdominal protection, cervical and clavicle guards without restricting body movement.
Third Place: The Flyer—high-rise escape garment
Designers: Kurt Anderson, Jessica Bjorgum, Brooke Burch
Instructor: Dr. Gindy Neidermyer
School: University of Wisconsin, Stout, U.S.A.
This rescue system, based on the idea that people can fly with proper aids, is designed to allow people to jump from high-rise buildings and land safely. An easy-to-don jacket with attached wings (similar to the membranes that allow a flying squirrel to coast between trees) offers added safety with a deployable parachute.
Entry pictures are posted on the Safety and Technical Products website, where information about the 2011 Student Design Challenge will also be available Oct. 1.
The Safety and Technical Products division of IFAI serves as the principal international resource providing members with the most current information on research, best practices, and innovation product knowledge to advance business opportunities in the safety, protective and advanced textile marketplace.
The Narrow Fabrics Institute is an active forum for narrow fabrics professionals to exchange information, discuss common problems, and develop beneficial partnerships.