Technologically Advanced Design
The Shift’s body, made from a zinc-aluminum alloy, provides added weight to the device to prevent it from sliding. Its main feature is a shifting dome – which can be manually shifted in any direction to move the cursor across the screen. Users can also move their cursor by using the dome’s trackpad.
Users can choose to use the Shift whichever way meets their specific needs
The pad allows users to control the cursor using several fingers at once, as opposed to just one. This helps with keeping hands stable. The trackpad is pressure sensitive for clicking and is designed to track large coarse movements while preventing unintentional clicks. Lastly, it also contains programmable buttons that can be used as voice-to-text for people with limited keyboard abilities, or as back and forth buttons.
“In addition to making sure the device was accessible, I wanted to make sure the Shift was up to par with most modern technologies,” Lee explains.
As such, Lee included wireless charging as part of the design. This eliminates the need for users to fumble with wires, making it that much more accessible for people with hand tremors. Going above and beyond what was required of him, Lee also created a concept for an app to go along with the Shift.
The Shift app helps adapt the device to a user’s specific tremor
“The app helps adapt the device to that user’s specific tremor, and also trains the user on how to work it,” says Lee.
Lee applied to IDEA and the Core77 Awards last year and was notified earlier this year that he had won a Gold IDEA and a Notable Mention in the Core77 Awards for his design of the Shift.
“The Industrial Design program at Carleton really pushed me to figure out what interested me, and gave me free will to explore,” Lee says.
“I am thankful for the professors and internship opportunities that taught me.”
About the International Design Excellence Awards
The International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) is one of the longest running and most prestigious design awards in existence and is organized annually by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA). Each year, thousands of entries are submitted by designers across the globe in hopes of securing a highly prized IDEA recognition. The competition is open to professional designers (corporate in-house teams, brands, studios, independent consultants, and entrepreneurs) and students.
About the Core77 Design Awards
Recognizing excellence in all areas of design enterprise, the Core77 Design Awards annually celebrates the richness of the design profession as well as the insight and perseverance of its practitioners. Now in its eleventh year, the Awards program remains dedicated to excellence and inclusivity, offering both students and professionals the opportunity to promote their best work on a global scale across 23 distinct design disciplines.
