Dyson engineers select global top 20 best inventions for the James Dyson Award
Learn more about Southeast Asia’s shortlisted inventions – from a series of devices to help stroke patients rehabilitate, to a sustainable prosthesis for breast cancer survivors.
12 October 2022Today marks the beginning of the international stage of the James Dyson Award 2022 as the global shortlist of 20 pioneering inventions has been announced. All have the chance to become a global winner and receive £30,000 to support the next stages of their inventions.
In September, the Award announced its national winners and runners-up, across 29 countries and regions. From at-home intravenous therapies to stroke rehabilitation devices, the James Dyson Award uncovers the brightest minds of the next generation.
The Top 20 Shortlist
15 Dyson engineers, scientists and designers from around the world have reviewed the 87 national finalists to curate this year’s global Top 20 Shortlist of inventions.
At Dyson, we believe great ideas come from diversity of thought and experience. Our judges celebrate the wide range of knowledge and expertise within Dyson’s Research, Design and Development teams. They specialise across a broad range of engineering fields including Sustainability, Medical, Agriculture and Education. They were joined by high-performing undergraduates from the Dyson Institute of Engineering Technology, to share their insight, challenging conventional design processes.
Meet the Judges
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Kay is the Principal Technology Scout at Dyson. He works to find outside expertise, technology and capabilities to help support engineering at Dyson.
“It’s always fascinating to see the range of challenges from around the world, particularly ones that highlight problems that I wasn’t previously aware of. It’s great when entrants from different places hone in on similar problems but take very different approaches to solving them. The diversity of thought every year keeps the James Dyson Award exciting.”
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Kay Yeong
Principal Engineer
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Robert Tweedie
Design Manager -
Robert Tweedie is a Design Manager, focusing on Dyson’s New Products and Innovation. Robert started working at Dyson as a graduate in 2007. He’s worked on developing new technologies in floorcare, environmental care and haircare categories. He now works in Dyson New Concepts team leading future new category products that will help push the boundaries to what’s possible.
“There are so many problems out in the world that need solving, and the James Dyson Award acts an incubator to help leapfrog genuine innovations to solve some big problems.”
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Sam is a Lead Sustainability Engineer. Originally hailing from Bermuda with a real passion for the outdoors, Sam joined Dyson as an engineering intern and the rest is history.
”As there are entries from across the globe, judges get exposed to such a breadth of ideas, some of which will focus on problems we otherwise wouldn't be exposed to, all with novel solutions. It's also great working as a team with skillsets from across the business, pitching the concepts to each other and whittling them down collaboratively.”
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Sam Dill
Sustainability Engineer
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Lucy Harden
Design Manager -
Lucy is a Senior Design Manager. With over 10 years’ experience in the aerospace, automotive and design sector, Lucy is now a senior design manager leading some of Dyson’s latest innovations.
”Reading through all the entries and seeing the amazing amount of hard work and effort was a real privilege. Debating with my colleagues on who should make the Top 20 Shortlist was an enjoyable process – the diversity across the panel led to some insightful conversations.”
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Shalimar is an Electronic Engineering Manager at Dyson, working on the integration of the Electronics Software and Hardware that make Dyson products special. Her passion is in automation, taking tedious activities and turning them into sequences that happen at the touch of a button.
”At Dyson we solve the problems that others ignore. The James Dyson Award is empowering young engineers to solve problems that personally impact them or the society they live in, living out the values that we espouse at Dyson.”
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Shalimar Ali
Electronics Engineer
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Ely Jackson
Undergraduate Engineer -
Ely is an undergraduate engineer at the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology. Through this, she spends 2 days a week studying for an engineering degree with the Institute, and 3 days working in a Dyson team. She has just finished a workplace rotation in New Category Electronics Hardware.
”As a student, it was really inspiring seeing how through new engineering technologies, an idea can be transformed into a product tackling real world issues within sectors such as sustainability, healthcare and education.”
Meet the finalists from Southeast Asia
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Rehabit, is a series of devices designed to allow patients to exercise independently with movement guidance at home designed by John Tay, a recent industrial design graduate from National University of Singapore.
“The James Dyson Award has given me the opportunity to connect with stroke survivors and caregivers, showing me the urgent need for more design and engineering interventions. Being recognised as one of the top 20 global entries is deeply encouraging, knowing that I have support in my vision and journey to develop and bring new technology to the people who need it most.”
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Rollerball Itch Relief, is a device designed by Koh Bei Ning, a recent industrial design graduate from national University of Singapore to help eczema patients cope with their unbearable itch.
“I am very grateful for the opportunities & validation the Award has given me. It is heartening & encouraging to have received positive responses from the audience this project has reached since being awarded the national runner up, as I embark on its development.”
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Brakong, is a sustainable prosthesis for those who have had a mastectomy designed by Emmanuele Pangilinan and Jason Pechardo, students from the University of the Philippines – Diliman.
“We feel honoured and grateful that Brakong has been selected for the JDA International Top 20. Brakong is now moving forward with greater support than ever. With this, I hope our entry raises awareness for cancer care for breast cancer and circular design.”
