Dezeen School Shows: a projection mapping system used for storytelling and a series of jewellery designed as an anxiety management tool for neurodiverse people are included in Dezeen's latest school show by students at Middlesex University.

Also included is a computer mouse designed to improve inclusivity in competitive video gaming and a project that uses archival street images and Google Earth to help care home residents remember and "travel through" the streets of their hometowns.

Middlesex University

School: Middlesex University
Course: BA Product Design & BEng Product Design Engineering
Tutors: Kate Herd, Andy Bardill, Wyn Griffiths, Ahmed Patel, Neil Melton, Dean Brown, Patrick Jordan, Tom Stables, and Colin Moss

School statement:

"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."

System: A Sustainable Furniture System Designed to Last by Howard Symeonides

"More From Less is a systems approach to the future of affordable furniture. The I system works to combat furniture and material waste with a robust frame, combining the benefits of durable solid wood furniture with the convenience of flat-pack, currently lacking in budget furniture.

"The project builds on the premise of 'more from less' using careful analysis of changing domestic lifestyle needs, materials use, sustainable production models and socially sustainable business building.

"The project developed an OSB structural I beam, joining and cladding system as the fundamental features underpinning a flexible and sustainable system applicable across different types of furniture pieces.

"This project acts as both a practical proposal and conversation piece, seeking to encourage consumers, manufacturers and designers to understand and act upon the impact their choices have on the environment."

Student: Howard Symeonides
Course: BA Product Design
Instagram: @howards_hardwood

Astral: Bring your story to life by Adam Painting

"This project aims to provide an accessible adaptive play, learning and sensory education through projection mapping, AI and a customisable Tangible User Interface (TUI).

"Astral combines projection mapping with contextually aware AI that tracks user's choices and interactions through the use of dedicated and/or evolving user-generated TUIs. Rich mixed reality play, learning and event enhancement has emerged as a powerful mechanism for immersing participants and enhancing experiences.

"Systems available are generally bespoke or cost inaccessible. Astral brings an open-source (digital and physical) approach to the landscape, creating an accessible and adaptable kit designed for use and development using home laptop, simple off the shelf components and a desktop 3D Printing.

"If you're telling a narrative, teaching a subject or exploring your creativity, Astral provides a new way to enrich your experience with an easy to use, plug-and-play system for a multitude of story applications."

Student: Adam Painting
Course: BEng Product Design Engineering

Kestrel: IED detection drone protection system by Andres Yousif-Romero

"Drones are a useful tool in IED detection in conflict areas. Commercial drones are useable, but lack robustness, protection and ease of field maintenance.

"Kestrel is a system that enables the adaptation of a commercially available drone for use by an Advanced Search team within the Royal Engineers in the Search and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Trade.

"It is designed to support on the ground teams in the hunt for Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDS) providing cameras and scanners to locate and target areas of concern. The system design has been driven by principles to enable the drone to be modular, militarised and easy to transport and repair."

Student: Andres Yousif-Romero
Course: BA Product Design

Ease: Easing Neurodiverse Driven Anxiety Through Physical Products by Zöe Needham

"This project is designed as a customisable wearable and anxiety management system for everyday reassurance. Feeling overwhelmed can be a challenge for neurodiverse women to deal with subtly, out and about in their everyday lives.

"Distraction and reassurance through physical contact is an established method of relief for anxiety. Current solutions focus on medical or technological manifestations. Ease has been designed as a jewelry series with a variety of texture reassurance options to enable people to create customised wearables that fit into the everyday life and work environments, support non-prominent and private reassurance behaviours and enable the best personalised texture and configurations of reassurance and distraction inserts.

"The system does this by offering a range of subtle and totally customisable jewellery, including bangles, pendants, and keyrings, with a full range of customisable sizes, a wide choice of materials and design options. A configurable range of anxiety management tactile fabric inserts allow the wearer to insert a variety of tactile fabrics of their choice to support a reduction in stress, discomfort, anxiety or panic."

Student: Zöe Needham
Course: BA Product Design

Extendo: Extendable travel longboard by Tautvydas Petruskevicius

"Almost every longboarder has a collection of longboards. Transporting multiple boards during travel is logistically problematic and increasingly expensive. Extendo creates a single, cabin luggage size carry on board, that extends through three configurations – carry on size, medium cruising and commuting full longboard.

"Extendo can be transformed into multiple lengths for different contexts of use. Easy to store and carry, with no need for multiple decks, and the option of switching between different styles while on the move."

Student: Tautvydas Petruskevicius
Course: BA Product Design

Anima: The Accessible Shapeshifting Mouse by Matthew Beale

"Anima is a customisable gaming mouse designed to improve inclusivity and accessibility in competitive gaming. For individuals with limited hand dexterity, the competitive gaming genre automatically puts them at a disadvantage due to the speed and reaction times required.

"From interchangeable side panels and a variety of adjustable buttons and button placements, to an innovative a rotating sensor designed to let the user hold the mouse in any direction, Amina will help level the gaming playing field."

Student: Matthew Beale
Course: BEng Product Design Engineering
Instagram: @mdxbeale

Storee: Carry your dreams with you by Yuyeong Kim

"Storee: Carry your dreams with you by Yuyeong Kim is a 'creative creature construction kit'. All its parts can be packed away in the creature's shell."

Student: Yuyeong Kim
Course: BA Product Design

TUX: The Tool for User Exploration by Tiago Rosas Oliveira

"TUX is a platform for experimentation that physically manifests UX metaphors to develop and test new interactive experiences. It is a non-commercial tool designed to help UX designers explore and learn, through physical experimentation and interactions, how to better adapt digital code to the needs of their user.

"It manifests as an open-source system and how-to kit that design teams assemble, adapt, update and extend to explore through physical interactions, ready to convert learnings back into programme code."

Student: Tiago Rosas Oliveira
Course: BA Product Design

Orbit: Shared experiences around the table by Luis Girao

"Place memory, associated personal histories, and shared storytelling are a powerful medium for connection. Storytelling and memory books are long-established positive activities in residential and long-term care.

"Orbit brings the power of Google Earth, archive street images, connective exploration, and equitable circular space to enhance and extend shared storytelling. Care home residents can travel through the streets of their hometown, combining memories of the past with the world outside, and sharing memories and stories with the people around them."

Student: Luis Girao
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.