Engineering news
The medical award, for Joseph Bentley from Loughborough University, was one of three announced today (17 November). Jerry de Vos from TU Delft university in the Netherlands was the sustainability winner for his handheld device that identifies plastic for recycling, while a team from the National University of Singapore won the international award for a device for at-home eye pressure testing.
The awards, which received a record number of entries this year, provide £30,000 in prize money for continuing development of the inventions.
Bentley’s React device (Rapid Emergency Actuating Tamponade) also won him the UK round of the James Dyson Awards earlier this year. The device aims to reduce catastrophic blood loss from knife wounds by applying internal pressure to the wound site while filling the cavity and preventing internal bleeding.
The implantable medical-grade silicone balloon tamponade would be inserted into the wound tract by a first responder. An actuator device is connected to the tamponade valve, and the user selects the wound location on the device interface. Squeezing the trigger on the actuator starts the automated inflation sequence, and the tamponade is inflated to a defined pressure based on the wound location.
The prototype device could be inserted and inflated in under a minute, which Bentley estimates could save hundreds of lives a year.
“Knife crime is horrific and a global challenge that is claiming the lives of thousands every year,” he said. “The React system has the potential to be a lifesaving tool in the fight against knife crime, but the development of medical devices is a long and challenging process. The recognition and funding provided by the James Dyson Award has given me the determination and confidence to develop the React system and get it into the hands of first responders as soon as possible.”
The design and technology student aims to commercialise his invention in the coming years, using the award money for further research and medical testing.
“This type of problem-solving invention shows the significant impact engineers can have on serious, global issues, and is why I created the James Dyson Award,” said James Dyson, founder of his eponymous company.
“Developing a medical device is very challenging and there will be no end of hurdles, but I would urge Joseph not to be put off, since the opportunity to save lives is so great. I hope that through winning the award this invention gets the support it requires, as it has the potential to make an impactful change.”
Since the competition first began in 2005, James Dyson and his foundation have donated over £135m to new concepts in education, medical research and other fields. The award has supported nearly 300 inventions with prize money.
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