6 brilliant product designs with a high social impact

social design moss schmidt

26 Apr 6 brilliant product designs with a high social impact

Posted at 08:24h in Uncategorized by

From blueprints to tangible prototypes

As rates of education increase around the world, people become more aware of social issues, and seek to support products with a higher social impact. This puts an onus on industrial designers to create products that not only work, but that also do good.

We have compiled a list of our favourite product designs with a high social impact. Social impact defines the way that a product influences society. In this article, we will be focusing on products, that through their intuitive design, have had a positive impact on the world.

Social impact products can have a hand in:

  • Addressing healthcare concerns in impoverished communities
  • Solving food and hunger problems around the world
  • Positively influencing the way people dispose of waste
  • Starting conversations about inclusion and changing behaviour

 

PARAFORM are your go-to industrial designers in Melbourne. From initial research, to fully manufactured product lines, our expert team can offer you a comprehensive and personalised service.

  1. Adjustable eye glasses

When you have vision but can’t see, life can be pretty difficult. Self-adjustable eyeglasses were invented to deliver corrective vision to over 1 billion of the world’s most impoverished people. Without the need for an optical professional, self-adjustable eyeglasses can immeasurably improve quality of life.

  • The glasses correct reflective error conditions like myopia, making up for too much curvature in the cornea.
  • Coming in at just $1 a pair, they are incredibly affordable for third world populations.
  • They offer significantly improved vision for up to 95% of users.

 

  1. The Seabin

Our oceans are the receptacle for over 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic. The Seabin aims to help eliminate plastics from the water before they get out into the open ocean by trapping trash.

  • The Seabin was designed as a trash skimmer, where a floating garbage bin sims the water and removes trash.
  • The latest version of the Seabin can remove floating trash, macro and micro plastics, and even microfibres.
  • Seabins are ideal for use in marinas, ports, and yacht clubs without large swells.

 

  1. The XO Laptop

Education is the key to our survival as a race. Unfortunately, almost 100 million children around the world are not in school when they need to be learning. Thankfully, the XO Laptop bridges the gap between the haves and have nots, allowing children from all walks of life to learn collaboratively.

  • The XO Laptop was designed to foster fun, innovative learning to impoverished children around the world.
  • This durable piece of hardware is resistant to heat and water, and has its own field repair kit.
  • The latest iteration of the XO Laptop features 16GB of solid state storage, a sunlight readable display, and accessibility information for all kinds of dialects.

 

  1. TOMS Shoes

Preventable foot diseases, particularly in rural areas, account for tens of thousands of deaths each year. Third world countries simply don’t have access to shoes.The entire TOMS company was founded around this need. They now offer to match every pair of shoes sold with a pair of shoes for a child in need.

  • TOMS shoes exhibit smart design principles, and are lightweight and incredibly resistant to damage.
  • They have given away over 86 million pairs of shoes to children in need.

 

  1. Arc app

Not every product needs to be tangible to make a difference. The Arc app was developed by the Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria to assist people in abusive relationships with acknowledging behaviour that makes them feel unsafe.

  • Users can identify abusive behaviour and note them to identify patterns down the line.
  • Users can also save images, video, or audio evidence of the behaviour as it happens.
  • These records allow users to articulate their issues and seek guidance from a counsellor or support service.

 

  1. Grab bars

As our population ages, fall rates and their associated risks have skyrocketed for elderly people. Due to the hazards of water and tiles, this risk doubles in the bathroom. Thankfully, code compliant grab bars are one of the simplest but most effective ways for preventing against these issues.

  • Grab bars are coated with stainless steel to ensure that they are slip-free at all times.
  • Many are angled to assist with a variety of tasks, including cleaning, showering and using the toilet.

Where should I go for socially responsible design?

This is an easy answer for us. MOSS&SCHMIDT are a dedicated team of industrial designers based in Melbourne. We work with our clients to help them design products that work to foster change in their community, and in the greater world.

If you have an idea that needs creation, or a product that needs improving, we want to hear about it. Our comprehensive industrial design service includes:

 

To learn more about how we can help you make better products, get in touch with Paraform today.