We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Sophia Neill about their original and creative Reducing Viral Infections design work. Sophia Neill is an award-winning service designer, that makes our world a better place with their original reducing viral infections works.
Sophia Neill ("SN") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Czero Reducing Viral Infections. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
SN : This concept came about when in lockdown as Covid-19 entered New Zealand for the first time. I sat in my room puzzling how I could change behaviours to reduce the spread of the virus through our interactions with ourselves and other people.
SN : My goal what to create a device that is something people want to wear rather than feel they have to. This concept is meant to look like any other piece of jewellery, however have the function like no other. The function of the ring is quite the opposite, it changes behaviours and tracks the health of the user, reducing the spread of viral infections.
SN : I think this design has a huge potential for impact, especially with the virus not going away anytime soon. However, I am still studying my Masters and do not intend to produce this product for market unless a unique opportunity arrises.
SN : From start to finish, this concept took me around 3 months part time.
SN : This was a University assignment, where I was asked to change ones interactions or behaviours. I took the opportunity to focus this on the pandemic to make the assignment more worthwhile.
SN : I would be interested in selling the concept to be produced as it would be a shame to waste the opportunity, especially when it surrounds a very topical issue being the global pandemic.
SN : I was mentored by my lecturer, Prof. Edgar Rodriguez as this was a university assignment.
SN : The people who have the privilege of traveling during a pandemic.
SN : Technology in rings has been done before but only for the purpose to track fitness. This ring changes behaviours and prevents a virus from spreading.
SN : Czero. 'C' meaning Covid/Corona. 'zero' meaning none of it. So 'No Covid'.
SN : I created this concept on a CAD program, Fusion 360.
SN : The Czero ring has the power to save lives if you look at the larger impact of the function. The spread of viruses will always be a relevant issue when traveling which means this tiny device holds exponential power.
SN : Victoria University of Wellington, a design school that encourages design innovation.
SN : The technology in this design offers the ability to collect information from the ring and transfer that to a phone which calculates ones health.
SN : All I researched for this design, was the capabilities of technology on this scale.
SN : It is a shame that I never made the concept in real life as this is a crucial part of design development. However, ironically I could not do this while in lockdown.
SN : I entered this award after receiving a nomination ticket from being a winner of the 'War on Virus' Design category, by A'Design. As a student, entering awards of such value like A'Design, is typically not within the student budget, so I am extremely grateful to have received this opportunity.
