For the first time, Edinburgh-headquartered Blackwood Housing and Care has been shortlisted as a finalist for the coveted UK Housing Awards 2017, in the inaugural Outstanding Approach to Promoting Digital Inclusion category.

The nomination recognises Blackwood’s achievements over the past 12 months in enabling independent living through the use of cutting edge technology. Training on Blackwood’s integrated digital care system, CleverCogs, has opened up new horizons for some customers that have never been online before and tailored sessions and dedicated support has helped customers overcome their anxieties and fears, enabling them to explore the digital world.

Fanchea Kelly, Chief Executive at Blackwood, said:

“It is wonderful for Blackwood to be shortlisted for this award, especially as this is the inaugural year for this category so this is a huge success for us.

“Our recent business growth and the rollout out of our CleverCogs technology across Scotland are just a few examples of our digital achievements and we are delighted to see our efforts and hard work recognised in this way.

“This is a huge year for us as the construction of our highly accessible Blackwood House development is now well underway in Dundee, so to kick it all off by being shortlisted for such a prestigious award is very exciting indeed.”

Blackwood prides itself on being at the forefront of the housing and care sector, and has a division dedicated to pioneering technology to identify, support and help develop the latest design and tech to benefit its customers.

The winner will be announced in ten weeks at the award ceremony, held at the Lancaster London Hotel in London on Wednesday, 26 April. For more information visit www.blackwoodgroup.org.uk.

MEBot, Mobility Enhancement Robotic Wheelchair, Best New Concept

Digital glasses which assist people who have lost the use of their arms and a wheelchair that goes up and down steps have been crowned the winners of a “Dragons’ Den” style design competition.

The Blackwood Design Awards – which discover, and champion, new and innovative ideas to improve the lives of those with physical or learning disabilities – recently took place at the Dundee Contemporary Arts centre and saw nine shortlisted inventors pitch for the top spot.

This year, for the first time, the competition was made up of two distinct categories.

MEBot, a Mobility Enhancement Robotic Wheelchair was named Best New Concept, while GlassOuse, which uses Bluetooth to connect disabled users to computers, phones and televisions won the Best New Product title.

MEBot is a robotic-powered, six wheel wheelchair which has been designed to tackle both kerbs and challenging terrains, such as icy and slippery surfaces, as its large centre driving wheels can reposition themselves to simulate front-, mid-, or rear-wheel driving.

While the traditional power wheelchair can get stuck on difficult types of ground, MEBot uses its front and rear caster wheels to inch forward on slick surfaces. It has a seat stabilisation system which keeps the driver safely upright and also stair climbing ability – which is ultimately what set it apart from other wheelchair designs.

The MEBot team, based in Pittsburgh, USA, will now receive a cash prize of £2000 from BDA sponsor Kingdom Gas, professional support and guidance on design development from one of Scotland’s top product design companies, 4c Design, and backing from business law experts, Harper MacLeod, in addition to that of Blackwood.

Rory Cooper, Leader of the MEBot Design Team and Director of the Human Engineering Research Laboratories at the University of Pittsburgh, said: “The MEBot was inspired by wounded, injured and ill veterans that would like to be able to do more than is possible with current wheeled mobility devices. We wanted to provide safe and expanded mobility and a design that is functional both indoors and outdoors.

“We entered the Blackwood Design Awards to challenge ourselves and to bring awareness to the needs of and opportunities for those with disabilities. We’re very excited to have won – it’s nice to have the validation of the innovation and hard work that our team put into the MEBot.

“It was a fun experience and we would definitely encourage others to participate next year. Ultimately, we’d like to license the MEBot to a commercial partner and see it transform the mobility and function of people with severe disabilities, and we’re very grateful to now have Blackwood’s advice and guidance.”

GlassOuse, Best New Product

Designer Mehmet Turker entered pioneering product GlassOuse all the way from China. It is worn comfortably on the head like a pair of glasses and is made specifically to help those who cannot use a traditional mouse due to an inability to fully use their hands.

The headpiece has been designed for everyone but, in particular, to help those who have suffered traumatic injuries such as brain bleeds and tumours, strokes, spinal damage and cerebral palsy, which have left them needing additional support for everyday tasks.

Mehmet said: “The Blackwood Design Awards is something we have heard about for years and we’re absolutely over the moon to have won the Best New Product title. We entered as we share its aim to enable disabled people to live as independently as possible through designing accessible products in a way that is pleasing to the eye.

“Everyone here has worked extremely hard to perfect GlassOuse. Though the headpiece can be used by anyone, we wanted to create something that would also make everyday tasks a lot easier for those who have suffered life changing injuries.

“We’re currently designing GlassOuse 2 and are very excited for what’s to come in the future – especially now we have backing from Blackwood.”

Fanchea Kelly, Chief Executive at Blackwood, believes the competition is a great way to give designers a chance to showcase their talent, which wholly ties in with Blackwood’s ethos for providing innovative care.

Fanchea said: “We were blown away by some of the entries and it was extremely difficult to choose just two, but MeBot and GlassOuse are incredibly innovative products and have the potential to be truly life-changing for those with disabilities.

“We would also like to wish all the runners up the best of luck and much continued success in their design endeavours.”

The competition has built a reputation of enabling great success for winners, and entries now frequently come in from all over the globe.

For more information on MEBot, visit: http://www.herl.pitt.edu/research/mebot

For more information on GlassOuse, visit: http://glassouse.com/

In picture: The Drink Universal Holder

Glasses for computer users who don’t have the use of their arms and a wheelchair that goes up and down steps are just two of the shortlisted entries battling it out in a “Dragons’ Den” inspired event to find the next rising star of design.

The Blackwood Design Awards discover, and champion, new and innovative ideas which aim to improve standards of living for those with physical or mental disabilities.

Dozens of ingenious entries were received for the competition and the nine inventions on the shortlist have now been revealed, with a blink-controlled, hands free phone system and a body-temperature regulating cushion for wheelchair users making up the finalists.

The competition will take place on Friday 20 January at the Dundee Contemporary Arts centre and will see the nine selected inventors pitch for the top prize. This year, for the first time, it will be made up of two distinct categories – Best New Product, in which there are four finalists, and Best New Concept, which has five shortlisted entries.

The winner will receive a cash prize of £2,000 from sponsor Kingdom Gas, and invaluable backing from Blackwood to make their creative design into a working reality.

The competition has seen its previous winners go on to achieve great success, and this year’s entries have come from all over the globe, with competitors located as far away as China and Russia.

Last year’s winner, Grant Douglas, was delighted to see his S’up Spoon product – an unspillable spoon to aid those with shaky hands as a result of cerebral palsy and Parkinson’s – take home the coveted prize.

He said: “We entered Blackwood’s Design Awards last year as we share its aim to enable disabled people to live as independently as possible through designing accessible products in a way that is pleasing to the eye.

“Over the past 9 months, the S’up Spoon has been featured on BBC One’s Songs of Praise. We’ve also donated 10 spoons to a voluntary organisation that helps disabled people in South Africa and it now has packaging so it can be sold in shops and is currently on sale via Amazon.

“Having won the competition, it is fantastic to know that our product is now revolutionising mealtimes for people around the world and we wish all those shortlisted this year the very best of luck. Take it from us – it truly is an incredible opportunity.”

Colin Foskett, Head of Innovation at Blackwood, believes the competition is a perfect example of the Blackwood ethos and says this year’s move to two categories will double the chances to identify and champion breakthroughs that improve life for those with disabilities.

He said: “We’ve been delighted with the way the annual awards have caught the imagination and developed into an important way to bring through genuinely revolutionary products.

“By having the additional category for this year’s competition, we are aiming to support, and promote even more new design talent. Some of the products we have previously seen have benefited the lives of so many people and the designs by this year’s nine shortlisted finalists are no different.

“At Blackwood, our aim is to enable our customers to live their life to the full and by investing in future technologies and equipment we believe we are successfully able to do this.

“Many previous entrants have gone on to achieve great things so we wish all our finalists the best of luck for this year.”

The nine competing entries are:

Best New Product

• C-Brace– A brace for people who have either a weakness in the knee or an injury that impairs their ability to stand/walk independently. It is relatively discreet and could make the difference between being confined to a wheelchair/mobility scooter and being able to remain upright and walking.

• 

  FRIEASEL– A manoeuvrable canvas that can be adjusted so someone with severe disabilities can paint independently, which could have hugely therapeutic benefits.

• Drink Universal Holder– A product that is fixed to a person’s wheelchair and can fit nearly any kind of glass.

• Glassouse– A set of light-weight glasses that are suitable for computer users who do not have the use of their arms. It remotely links to the computer and the mouth piece serves as a mouse. Biting down on it acts as a click.

Best New Concept

• Argonault– A versatile concept wheelchair that can go up and down steps and pavement edges as well as go up to cupboards.

• MeBot– Similar in some respects to the Argonault in that it is a wheelchair that can go up and down steps, but a different design by a different company.

• 

  In picture: The RT Mover

  RT-Movers– A really smart wheelchair that can also go up and down steps. It differs from the others is that it has great stability and suspension and the mechanism of the wheels make it really good for going over uneven or bumpy terrain.

• Wheelair– A temperature regulating cushion for people whose body doesn’t communicate well with their brain and causes difficulty getting their body temperature right.

• Eye-wink– A system to control a phone without hands, which uses winks to go back and forth in the options. Very useful for anyone who has limited hand movement or poor dexterity in their fingers.

Aspiring designers, engineers and inventors have just one week remaining to enter a “Dragons Den” inspired event which has become a magnet for global talent.

The annual Blackwood Design Awards attract both gifted amateurs and seasoned professionals to showcase innovations to change the lives of disabled people.

Now, the inventive housing and care provider is appealing for any last minute entrants to come forward over the next six days to be in with a chance of winning this year’s competition.

Previous winners have included a spoon that doesn’t spill and an eye-controlled wheelchair. This year the competition will be made up of two distinct categories – Best New Product and Best New Concept.

Colin Foskett, Head of Innovation at Blackwood, believes the move will double the chances to identify and champion breakthroughs that improve life for those with physical or mental disabilities.

He said: “I would encourage any budding designers who may currently be sitting on the fence to enter the Awards as soon as possible, as it really is a fantastic opportunity to get the necessary support for a new product.

“By supporting, and promoting, new design talent we aim to provide a platform for individuals to showcase their designs whilst also providing a helpful innovative technology to those with disabilities, the elderly and those with impairments.

“Some of the designs we have previously seen are revolutionary and have benefited the lives of many others, and the designs by this year’s four shortlisted finalists are no different.

“Many previous entrants have gone on to achieve great things so it is definitely a worthwhile opportunity for all aspiring entrepreneurs out there.”

The most keenly contested category will remain “Best New Concept”, inviting inventors and developers to come forward with ideas that are not yet readily available.  With £2000 up for grabs from sponsor Kingdom Gas, the lucky winner has a real chance of helping see their concept become a reality.

4c Design, one of Scotland’s top product design companies – who famously designed the Queen’s Baton for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games – will also provide some professional support and guidance on design development.

Other benefits for the winning entries will include support from business law experts, Harper MacLeod, as well as product and development support from the team at Blackwood, Scotland’s leading experts in deploying technology to enhance care and housing.

The Best New Product category will seek entries that are finalised concepts and are commercially available and could help niche or struggling products to breakthrough to a much wider audience.

The competition has built a reputation of enabling great success for winners, and entries now frequently come in from all over the globe, including Canada and Pakistan.

Blackwood has been a leading name for 40 years in the housing and care sector, operating all across Scotland and is renowned for its work in adapting properties to let people who are disabled, elderly or have sensory impairments, to live independently.

The competition is now open. For details on how to enter, visit: http://www.bespoken.me/forum/topics/blackwood-is-delighted-to-officially-launch-the-blackwood-design-?xg_source=activity.

The final deadline for entries is Wednesday 30 November.

The S’up Spoon

The inventor of a spoon that doesn’t spill, which last year scooped the top prize at a Dragons’ Den inspired competition, is encouraging other budding designers to seize the same opportunity.

Computer science graduate Grant Douglas, alongside Industrial Designer at 4c Design, Mark Penver, created the remarkable S’up Spoon to aid those with shaky hands as a result of cerebral palsy, essential tremor and Parkinson’s, which then went on to win the Blackwood Design Awards.

Now, the triumphant creator is urging talented entrepreneurs to enter the housing and care provider’s annual competition, which discovers, and champions, new and innovative ideas that improve standards of living for those with physical or mental disabilities.

Mark Penver and Grant Douglas

Grant, who has cerebral palsy, was supported by 4c Design during the competition and received a cash prize of £1000 for winning, as well as invaluable backing from Blackwood and its partners to support S’up Products LTD as it continues to develop.

Grant said: “We entered Blackwood’s Design Awards last year as we share its aim to enable disabled people to live as independently as possible through designing accessible products in a way that is pleasing to the eye.

“We were overwhelmed to win and, since securing the top prize, the S’up Spoon has progressed significantly.

“Over the past 9 months, it has been featured on BBC One’s Songs of Praise, we’ve donated 10 spoons to a voluntary organisation that helps disabled people in South Africa and it now has packaging with a bar code so that it can be sold in shops and is currently on sale via Amazon.”

The spoon has traveled all the way to disabled people in South Africa

The S’up Spoon also now has a reseller in Denmark, is appearing in an exhibition in the British Design Museum in London this month and has been tested by the Royal National Institute of Blind People which has agreed to add it to their product range.

Grant added: “We’re incredibly grateful to Blackwood and the panel for choosing our design as the winner as it gave our product a major boost.

“The cash prize helped us develop the packaging needed to sell it on Amazon and in other retail outlets, the publicity gave us a huge jump in sales across the globe, and the credibility reassured organisations like the BBC that our product was worthy of promotion.

“Having won the competition, it is fantastic to know that our product is now revolutionising mealtimes for people around the world and we would encourage anyone with an idea or product that could improve the lives of those with disabilities to enter the competition.

“Take it from us – it truly is an incredible opportunity.”

For 2016, the Blackwood Design Awards will be made up of two distinct categories – Best New Product and Best New Concept.

Colin Foskett, Head of Innovation at Blackwood, believes the move will double the chances to identify and champion breakthroughs.

The S’up Spoon

He said: “We’ve been delighted with the way the annual awards have caught the imagination and developed into an important way to bring through genuinely revolutionary and life changing products – as exampled by Grant and Mark’s ingenious S’up Spoon.

“By adding the additional category for this year’s competition, we are aiming to support, and promote even more new design talent. Designs like the S’up Spoon have benefited the lives of many others, and we expect this year’s designs to be no different.”

The competition has built a reputation of enabling great success for winners, and entries now frequently come in from all over the globe, including Canada and Pakistan.

It is now open. For details on how to enter, visit: http://www.bespoken.me/forum/topics/blackwood-is-delighted-to-officially-launch-the-blackwood-design-?xg_source=activity

The S’up Spoon is based on a typical spoon design but differs from the standard cutlery style, in that it has a deeper cavity which partially extends into the handle, enabling it to contain food and liquids more securely.

The S’up Spoon is currently available for purchase at www.sup-products.com.

Blackwood’s Laura Fergusson Court, a sheltered housing development for those living with disabilities, held a special ribbon-cutting celebration to mark the occasion, and tenant Mike Cavanagh did the honours of declaring the lift officially open.

The new lift is replacing a 40 year old one, which had seen better days and was no longer fit for purpose. This is just one of the upgrades that the development has made to improve the lives of its tenants this year, having unveiled a sleek, newly revamped lounge in February to commemorate its 35^th anniversary.

At Laura Fergusson Court, the emphasis is on tenants being as independent as possible and they are encouraged to undertake all aspects of daily living tasks as best they can. Tenants’ input was an important part of the lounge refurbishment process earlier this year and they were involved in selecting everything from the colour scheme to the curtains.

Jenny Deed, Housing Team Leader, spoke of how the newly installed lift will be hugely beneficial to Laura Fergusson Court.

She said: “We have a lot of tenants with mobility difficulties so the new lift will make a big difference.

“It has been specially designed with coloured panels on the walls, braille buttons and has a much softer landing.

“While we didn’t have any problems with the old lift breaking down, it was due to be renewed. The brand new lift gives us confidence that it will be reliable for tenants for many years.”

Patrick Connolly, Assets Officer for Blackwood added: “The project was completed slightly ahead of schedule. It took a total five and a half weeks to finish the new lift, meaning we could provide tenants with better access quicker.

“Everything went very, very well and the tenants were great. They were very curious; when we took the old lift out they all wanted to look inside the pit to see what it actually looks like.

“The contractor we were working with, Omega, and who actually installed the lift had a very good rapport with the tenants, which of course makes a massive difference and the job much easier.”

Blackwood has more than 1500 homes throughout the country designed with the latest in bespoke features to help those who are disabled, elderly or with sensory impairments to live more independently.

This includes a range of adaptations from minor alterations such as lowering thresholds between rooms for easier wheelchair access, fitting grab rails and installing easy-to-use lever taps. Bigger projects can include installing wet rooms, level access showers and ‘rise and fall kitchens’ to improve the quality of life of its customers.

As it works in 29 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities, it is more widely dispersed than most other care or housing providers and has embraced the challenges of taking housing and care into innovative areas at a time when funding is increasingly limited.

It is renowned for constantly pushing the boundaries of technology to allow property adaptations which make a huge difference to people with disabilities.

Blackwood has earned a reputation for its highly creative and engaging yearly showcases, which feature life-changing technology and innovative displays.

Now, it has delivered again by focusing on the social aspect of its work – and turning its AGM into an interactive “tea and technology” event, which allowed remote users to join in from all across Scotland, with some even taking part from the comfort of their own living room.

One such customer was David Grant, from Dundee, who was delivered a special afternoon tea at his home while joining the AGM via CleverCogs – Blackwood’s state-of-the-art system of connected touch screen devices which can influence almost everything in a house from opening curtains to planning care and support with family and friends.

Fanchea Kelly, Chief Executive at Blackwood, said: “We have had great success over the past two years, with our highly interactive events featuring everything from bionic arms and robot exoskeletons to the construction of a full scale, walk-through replica of our concept house.

“This year, we wanted our meeting to be more people-focused as our customers are at the heart of everything we do. The focal point of all our technology is to improve disabled people’s lives every single day and improve independent living.

“We always strive to create an ‘AGM with a difference’ and we’re delighted to now have 3 years’ experience of delivering unique and ambitious events.

“All of our concepts are tested by customers at Blackwood who give valuable feedback on how the design can be improved, which helps ensure that they are as effective as possible and that there is a constant challenge to evolve.

“This is co-design in practice and we are most interested in the feedback we get from customers and from fellow professionals.”

Customers came together from Ayr, Stirling, Aberdeen and Dundee and, alongside Blackwood employees, were treated to some of the latest pioneering technology. Especially positive feedback was given to the housing and care provider’s new app The Huburbs – a Sims-style video game which challenges the user to manage a virtual housing development and build the best possible living environment and neighbourhood for their customers.

Fanchea added: “It’s a very exciting time for us with the launch of our Blackwood House in Dundee this year, and the integration of CleverCogs.

“We very much pride ourselves on being at the forefront of the housing and care sector, but to remain there, it’s vital that we listen to the ever evolving needs of our service-users to help shape our future. We believe that being able to connect our customers with this year’s live broadcast AGM provided the perfect platform to do just that.”

Blackwood has more than 1500 homes throughout the country designed with the latest in bespoke features to help those who are disabled, elderly or with sensory impairments to live more independently.

This includes a range of adaptations from minor alterations such as lowering thresholds between rooms for easier wheelchair access, fitting grab rails and installing easy-to-use lever taps. Bigger projects can include installing wet rooms, level access showers and ‘rise and fall kitchens’ to improve the quality of life of its customers.

As it works in 29 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities, it is more widely dispersed than most other care or housing providers and has embraced the challenges of taking housing and care into innovative areas at a time when funding is increasingly limited.

It is renowned for constantly pushing the boundaries of technology to allow property adaptations which make a huge difference to people with disabilities.