Cognixion ONE has been nominated for this year’s Red Dot: Luminary. The Red Dot: Best of the Best winner emerged from Virtual and Augmented Reality category and is designed by STEL based in the United States. Cognixion ONE is a wearable speech generating device that enables communication in those with disabilities like never before. It is the world’s first Brain Computer Interface with Augmented Reality.
The design team from STEL shares more with Red Dot.
Cognixion ONE was started to address a global issue, inspired by a deep human truth - Communication is fundamental to the human experience - without it, we all suffer. Half a billion people worldwide are affected by disabling conditions that impact their ability to control their body - and more specifically - to speak. Conditions ranging from traumatic injuries like brain stem strokes and cerebral palsy to progressive neurological conditions like ALS and Multiple Sclerosis. Many people think about Stephen Hawking, the famous scientist with ALS, when thinking of someone who is cognitively capable but physically challenged. Communication is so fundamental to the human experience, and our goals are to make it possible for individuals to communicate more quickly, and comfortably, as well as enabling their ability to control the world around them using Augmented Reality and our BCI neural interface, called Cognixion ONE.
It’s a Wearable Speech Generating Device that adapts to the user. By taking a Universal Design - or Inclusive Design - approach, we are able to create a system that makes it possible for people with the most extreme usability needs - those with hyper kinetic uncontrollable movement on one end of the spectrum, and zero physical movement or extreme paralysis on the other end. By focusing on the extremes, we’re able to create highly adaptive algorithms and accessibility features that can be generalized for EVERYONE so in the future, all augmented or virtual reality content, games, experiences and the real world around us will be delightfully accessible for all. We intend to take this concept to market. Cognixion ONE will be available first through academic and corporate research labs - physiology, accessibility, neuroscience
Design plays an important role in the project. Design is the catalyst that brings all disciplines together, and makes ideas and technology tangible in the shape of an object. Besides the practical functions, the design team works to create a positive emotional connection with the user, focusing on the experience, wearability and aesthetics. The end goal is to create an effortless object that invites you to wear.
This project was our first assistive technology device, and it taught us an incredible amount about designing for people with abilities different from our own. We learned how to analyse new user movements and capabilities, understanding constraints and allowances that our designers and engineers here at STEL do not experience in the same way. It’s challenging at times to design through someone else’s lens, but in the end it’s a crucial step to designing a device for everyone. Regardless of natural communication ability, every single person has the want, need, and right to be heard, express their thoughts, and establish connections with others. Our abilities are so often taken for granted, and that realisation has encouraged us to approach design with all ability levels in mind.
Receiving the Red Dot: Best of the Best award not only brings awareness to a revolutionary product, but validates that our team at STEL, in partnership with Cognixion, are helping to change lives. Our team has worked incredibly hard with talented experts in the field who have contributed to the success of this device. It’s an honor to be recognized for a mission focused on social impact and we are more than excited to continue to serve people in need with Cognixion ONE.
Winning a Red Dot is one of the highest recognitions a design studio can achieve,
and it’s an honor to be considered one of the Best of the Bests. To be nominated for the Red Dot: Luminary award is incredible, and it’s even more special because the Cognixion ONE is a product we so deeply believe in.
Designers celebrate
.lumen – Glasses for the Blind by .lumen and DESIRO Vision has won Red Dot: Luminary 2021. All of the award-winning design concepts will be made available at www.red-dot.org on the same day. The Online Exhibition serves as a reference to the best in design and details descriptions of the work and information on the designers.
Red Dot Award: Design Concept 2022 is open for submissions.
Submission Dates:
- Early submission: 2 January – 8 February
- Standard submission: 9 February – 23 March
- Late submission: 24 March – 18 May
For further information, visit: www.red-dot.org/design-concept
Register and submit at dc.red-dot.sg