Arts Thread

Above: Blueprints Made in Brunel 1. Joshua Perkins / 2. Chloe McCourt /3. Margot Mason /4. Chloe Canell /5. Stanley Binns/ 6. Gabriel Britton

One hundred and sixty projects from the 2022 graduates of Brunel University London are going on display as part of the New Creatives series of shows at Oxo Tower Wharf.

The Blueprints, Made In Brunel exhibition runs from today Thursday 16 to Sunday 19 June and features projects that range from rehab systems for stroke patients, recyclable lateral flow kits and products to help consumers upcycle their used trainers.

Joshua Perkins’ project – Remo, Wearable Stroke Rehab – is a smart device that aids stroke patients who are recovering at home. Using haptic vibrations, the wearable device helps the wearer while they do exercises to improve their mobility. The device does this by providing vibrating feedback to indicate what they have reached the target range of movement or have achieved the correct exercise technique. Remo then feeds the data into an app that helps the patient keep track of their progress and keep on top of their recovery regimen.

Chloe McCourt’s Riley The Reading Monster helps empower youngsters to learn to read at home. The interactive toy helps children learn phonics by pushing tiles out of the mouth of Riley the monster which are accompanied by sounds that teach them how to pronounce each character.

Save Our Sneakers by Margot Mason aims to tackle the 313m tonnes of CO2 created by the footwear industry per year by encouraging consumers to upcycle used and unwanted shoes. The Save Our Sneakers service provides consumers with a repair tool kit and access to tutorials so they can let their creativity flow and reinvent their tired trainers into something new and unique.

Chloe Canell wants to improve productivity by monitoring the air we breathe and making sure that the work environment doesn’t contain too many bad factors which can affect our brain activity. The GlideAir device measures temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, PM2.5 and PM10 and visualizes them in an easy-to-understand way, letting the user know exactly what’s in the air around them.

Another project hoping to improve our productivity is SHŪCHŪ by Stanley Binns, a device that scans your digital calendar and automatically schedules in periods of ‘deep work’ and break sessions throughout the day. When the time comes to concentrate, the device will display a visual countdown and encourage you to reach your goal.

Gabriel Britton seeks to address the amount of plastic waste involved in taking a COVID-19 lateral flow test. Britton’s version of the self-administered test uses 70% CO2 and is 20% less heavy. In addition, the pack addresses the fact many people find inserting the swabs quite painful or difficult by adding a guide on the swab to indicate the ideal depth of insertion.

Visit Blueprints, Made in Brunel at Oxo Tower Wharf, Barge House St, London SE1 9PH from now until Sunday 19 June. Learn more about New Creatives series of shows at Oxo Tower Wharf.

Read our overview of the New Creatives 2022 series of shows here.