Nine pioneering women awarded for self-adjusting wheelchair, VR design and more

“Pioneering” female inventors behind technology including a self-adjusting wheelchair and virtual reality car design software have won the 2019 Women in Innovation Awards.

Winners of the awards, announced today on International Women’s Day by business secretary Greg Clark, will receive £50,000 each and a year of support, coaching and mentoring for their work “tackling some of the biggest challenges facing society”.

The nine recipients include Agnes Czako from AirEx Technologies, who is creating a “state-of-the-art home ventilation system to help reduce a home’s heat demand, resolve damp and condensation issues and cut energy bills. It uses ‘smart tech’ airbricks that use a simple open and shut mechanism where the brick regulates airflow and ensures the right level of ventilation.”

Sheana Yu was another winner. Founder and CEO of Aergo, Yu is developing a device built into wheelchairs to monitor movement and automatically inflate or deflate air cells for better posture.

“Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation Awards address a key barrier for diversity in innovation - a lack of female role models,” said executive chairman Dr Ian Campbell.

“Whether it’s inspiring young students showing a passion for STEM, someone with the spark of an idea, or an innovative business ready to be taken to the next level, the Women in Innovation 2019 campaign aims to drive long term, far reaching positive change.”

The winners were:

• Agnes Czako of AirEx Technologies (inventor of smart technology for healthier homes)
• Alex Haslehurst of Vitrue Health (innovator in digital assessment of patient health)
• Cintia Kimura of KG Protech (inventor of smart simulation tech to train car mechanics of the future)
• Daniela Paredes of Gravity Sketch (inventor of pioneering virtual reality transportation design tool)
• Debbie Wake of MyWay Digital Health (creator of digital innovation to support diabetes patients)
• Dolores Sanders of Total Control Pro (inventor of pioneering tech to improve small business manufacturing)
• Fanya Ismail of Sol-Gel Coatings & Advanced Materials (inventor of innovative paper coating to eradicate single-use plastic)
• Jessica Bruce (nee Leitch) of Walk 3D (pioneer of innovative 3D analysis that helps older people to walk pain-free)
• Sheana Yu of Aergo (inventor of air-powered seating to improve patients’ posture)

Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.