A car-based AI that gives users personalised travel updates and an affordable device that analyses football player's performances are included in Dezeen's latest school show from students at Middlesex University.

Also featured is a subtle distraction game aiming to help people with chronic pain reduce their discomfort and a project that tackles the issue of 'fast furniture' by equipping people with the tools to make their own.

School: Middlesex University, Faculty of Science and Technology
Courses: BA Product Design and BEng Product Design Engineering
Tutors: Kate Herd, Andy Bardill, Wyn Griffiths, Ahmed Patel, Neil Melton, Dean Brown, Patrick Jordan, Brendan Walker, Peter Wong and Tom Stables

"Product Design and Product Design Engineering at Middlesex University are practice-based programmes, focused on employability. Both the BA and BEng programme are driven by our passion for understanding people and technology, exploring innovative solutions driven by real opportunities and addressing challenges faced by both industry and society."

Ultra-Gait Speed by Demi Banjo

"Frailty is a geriatric condition. One of the main diagnosis methods is a Gait Speed Test, which measures how long it takes a patient to walk a distance of four meters.

"Ultra-Gait Speed is a home-based gait speed measurement device. An app accompanies the device and uses graphics to present the user with their results.

"The device allows patients to gain an understanding of their health. It enables frail and pre-frail patients to monitor their health, share data with medical professionals and make preventative interventions to delay the onset of geriatric frailty."

Student: Demi Banjo
Course: BEng Product Design Engineering

Laparoscopic Gallstone Removal System by Lazaros Efthymiadis

"Gallbladder perforation occurs in 36.1 per cent of patients who undergo laparoscopic elective cholecystectomy. Retrieving the lost gallstones is a stressful situation for the surgeons and significantly increases operation time.

"The Laparoscopic Gallstone Removal System gives the doctor the ability to quickly gather every stone using one device and avoid any potential blockages. The device breaks the big stones into smaller ones, removes them from the cavity using suction and stores them in a filter, protecting the operation room central suction device."

Student: Lazaros Efthymiadis
Course: BEng Product Design Engineering

The Way: Generative Design Philosophy by Brady Hansen

"Fast furniture is having an irreversible impact on our planet, although many consumers have a desire to consume furniture more meaningfully.

"The Way provides a straightforward methodology using a simple set of tools to instruct people to make their furniture. Along with highlighting the positive impacts of making as a practice, The Way also gives guidance on making in small and shared living spaces, empowering any user to create rather than consume.

"The Way is a generative design philosophy designed to help people become makers and add more meaningfulness to their possessions."

Student: Brady Hansen
Course: BA Product Design

Maak'n by Basima Jaafar

"Maak'n is a stationery workshop that promotes and encourages active participation in sustainable, interchangeable and eco-friendly stationery. The workshop will create a new community for stationery lovers to make, customise and learn how we as consumers can change our habits and lifestyles to help improve the Earth through small and big steps."

Student: Basima Jaafar
Course: BA Product Design

Wave: The next chapter of home listening by Tom Milward

"Music listening has faded into the background. Wave is a device that brings music back into the foreground, creating a mindful and enhanced listening experience.

"Wave helps users to induce a flow state, getting them into a relaxed state of mind so that the music becomes their focus. It will help users engage and immerse themselves, give them more control, and allow them to explore and interact with their music through various parameters.

"These parameters include reverb, band-pass filter and bass/treble, each controlled through different gestures. Additionally, wave connects to music playing applications on mobile devices via Bluetooth."

Student: Tom Milward
Course: BA Product Design

P.a.l: Bringing the future of the talking automobile to you by Ibrahim Javid

"Your car assistant from the future. A talking and living AI that communicates with the driver through audible suggestions and a visual light display.

"P.a.l gives you updates on your car's current performance, makes you aware of hazards around you, and gives you personalised updates on places to visit while travelling.

P.a.l provides comfort and companionship for those driving alone and enhances your driving experience."

Student: Ibrahim Javid
Course: BEng Product Design Engineering

Valerian PCA Pump by Vanessa Mugari

"Valerian is a device that gives patients the power to control their pain through the simple press of a button. The computerized Patient-Controlled Analgesia pump (PCA) contains a syringe of pain medication prescribed by a doctor connected directly to a patient's IV line.

"Its user interface and simple programming steps significantly reduce the risks of human errors, which result in the overdose and underdose of patients."

Student: Vanessa Mugari
Course: BEng Product Design Engineering

Kratos: Enhance. Develop. Share by Luigi Palumbo

"Football is becoming heavily data-driven – it's all about stats, and these can determine a player's success or failure. Pro-level players use this data to analyse performances, reduce injury and understand themselves as a player. Kratos makes this technology more affordable to the lower level and recreational players.

"The design is made up of a physical device located on the back. It will utilise community manufacturing approaches to lower the cost, making it more accessible to amateur players. In addition, the device will be accompanied by a social networking app that will allow players to share this data in meaningful ways."

Student: Luigi Palumbo
Course: BEng Product Design Engineering

Prescient: The Radical Redesign by Navpreet Singh

"Revisioning our relationship and use of consumer products by designing for behaviour change: Prescient is a philosophy, a manifesto, a set of instructions, and a lens on sustainable living, all in one.

"It works to create meaningful, readable consumer products with cradle-to-cradle sustainable thinking embedded in every aspect of design and manufacture through a visual language that speaks directly of the underlying philosophy.

"The demonstration product – a clothes iron – illuminates that functional modularity of the product and helps users understand how to repair and replace any parts that fail over time, extending the lifecycle of the whole system."

Student: Navpreet Singh
Course: BEng Product Design Engineering

Rush: Explore Your Data by Ralph Pauling

"Rush uses accelerometer arrays to capture new forms of cycling data enabling underrepresented users to visualise and quantify their cycling exploits.

"Rush can measure 'air time', visualising the aerial ballet of a skilled BMX rider, cornering speed and banking angle achieved during a bike race, also known as a crit. Should a bike ride go a little pear-shaped, the design can tell the user if they may have suffered a concussion."

Student: Ralph Pauling
Course: BEng Product Design Engineering

zeNd: Bringing a mindful experience through Arduino and magnetism by Joseph Salem

"This design asks: is play just for children? Once we reach adulthood, should we stop? Playtime, even for adults, has many benefits. ZeNd is a toy and construction kit for adults that provides a mindful experience using Arduino and magnetism, improving the user's wellbeing.

"The toy creates visuals on Iron filings – a metal powder – that react to magnetic fields. The toy creates a mindful experience by immersing the user in building the device and enabling them to feel 'in the moment' as they watch the playful patterns unfold, relieving stress and improving concentration."

Student: Joseph Salem
Course: BEng Product Design Engineering

Smartbed: Innovative laser cutter vacuum bed technology by Sujinthan Sureshkumar

"Laser cutters have become the go-to machine for cutting a wide range of materials with speed and repeatable accuracy. Holding fragile materials can be difficult and involves typically expensive and inefficient vacuum beds.

"This new bed provides a 'smart', efficient and cost-effective way to hold thin sheet materials on small laser cutters using an innovative air-flow and valve matrix."

Student: Sujinthan Sureshkumar
Course: BEng Product Design Engineering

Self-growing Art by Eliska Ticha

"Plants and flowers have a positive effect on our mental health and help refresh our internal environments. Their ever-changing growth and beauty are enhanced through their inclusion in Self-growing Art, where plant life meets 3D illustration.

"The system, designed for custom installations, has a secure mounting and watering system as part of the construction. A continuous, fluid line provides the illustration, with growing plants symbiotically enhancing the symbolism."

Student: Eliska Ticha
Course: BA Product Design

Divert: Don't let pain control your life by Elizabeth Whittall

"Divert is a new way for chronic pain sufferers to relieve their pain through distraction, in everyday settings, without drawing attention to the sufferer or distracting others around them. Divert uses haptic feedback to create different 'call and response games' between the user and the product to reduce pain.

"It could be used during a meeting, in educational settings, social gatherings, etc. When the user experiences pain symptoms, rather than leaving the room or distracting others, they can push down on the device and initiate the subtle distraction 'games'. Divert is a 'core and shell' system enabling the core to be worn as a bracelet, necklace, or keychain."

Student: Elizabeth Whittall
Course: BA Product Design

GoBaby by Jerusa Da Silva

"GoBaby! is a multifunctional piece of furniture for children with down syndrome and other additional needs. GoBaby! transforms into three products: a walking frame, a baby exersaucer and a chair, giving the child the opportunity to improve their gross motor skills in the comfort of their own home and at their own pace.

"GoBaby! will accompany your child as they grow, offering independence and supporting them in reaching key developmental milestones from six months to five years of age."

Student: Jerusa Da Silva
Course: BA Product Design

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and Middlesex University. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.