Congratulations to Prof Mugendi M’Rithaa who was recently named President-Elect for the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid).

The announcement is extra special because M’Rithaa is the first African to hold the position and he beat competitors from Finland and Denmark for the prestigious post which represents over 150 member nations.

Icsid promotes the interests of industrial designers and administers the World Design Capital competition which Cape Town won for the year 2014.

M’Rithaa says his position at CPUT is conveniently aligned to his mission for his term as President-Elect of Icsid.

“My vision is to get more young people actively involved in Icsid and to build bridges between various cultures so that cultural intelligence can start permeating everything we do,” he says.

M’Rithaa’s future as an Industrial Designer was sealed when, as a child, he watched the first moon landing. He shared the story during his motivational speech for the Icsid position with hundreds of people.

“That singular moment crystallised for me that technology was a unifier and I wanted to be part of that,” he says.

M’Rithaa says CPUT’s support of his Icsid endeavours have been integral to his success.

“CPUT’s slogan is ‘Creating Futures’ but that is not only for students- it’s for staff as well. The institution has co-created my future with me and I am eternally grateful,” he says.

Written by Lauren Kansley

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Liaises with the media and writes press releases about interesting developments at CPUT.

CPUT’s progress in meeting the physical and academic needs of staff and students with disabilities was celebrated last week, as students, design gurus, disability experts and donors gathered to showcase the university’s innovations in empowering persons with disabilities.

Dr Nina du Toit, Disability Unit coordinator, gave warm thanks to the units’ many supporters and donors, and reiterated that CPUT’s bold blueprint to provide universal access to those with disabilities across CPUT’s five campuses is forging ahead. Guest speakers included Mrs Wendy Ackerman, a staunch supporter of research and development in the field of disability through The Ackerman Family Educational Trust. CEO of the Carl and Emily Fuchs Foundation, Dr Riaan Els also gave a keynote address. This foundation has been extremely supportive of the Disability Unit since its inception in 2008, giving annually to boost the unit’s coffers. In his address, Dr Els emphasised that only 5% of those with severe disabilities attain a higher education qualification, with females at more of a disadvantage than males.

In recent years CPUT has unveiled a few ground-breaking technologies and projects to combat this dire statistic. These include the country’s first prototype car adapted for driving by people with disabilities. This is the first ever locally-engineered prototype to feature joystick engineering, and has opened a world of driving opportunities for persons with disabilities in South Africa.

CPUT’s Sport Management Department is also involved in training and research with the London makers of the Ekso Bionic Suit, which enables people with spinal cord injuries to walk.

The Ekso Bionic suit which gives those immobilised by spinal cord injuries the ability to walk

Yet another innovation is being overseen by CPUT’s Universal Design guru, Prof Mugendi M’Rithaa. His students are developing a unique range of kitchenware for those with special needs, in collaboration with Hekkie Brink. Brink, a person with one arm was introduced to the Industrial Design department by Mrs Ackerman. Through the funding graciously approved by The Ackerman Family Educational Trust, Hekkie’s products are now being developed into a commercially viable range.

One of the innovative kitchen utensils developed by Hekkie Brink and Industrial Design students

Other attendees included stalwart supporters of the Disability Unit such as national oil and gas company, PetroSA, who offer students with a range of disabilities full bursaries and guaranteed work contracts on successful completion of their studies. The HCI Foundation, the corporate social investment arm of HCI, were also gratefully acknowledged for their contributions to bursaries, and providing 54 assistive devices to students with learning difficulties.

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The generosity of the Ackerman Family Educational Trust is proving to be a great boost to Industrial Design’s exciting project to develop universally designed products for the disabled.

CPUT’s Universal Design guru, Prof Mugendi M’Rithaa and his students are currently hard at work developing a unique range of kitchenware for those with special needs, in collaboration with Hekkie Brink. Brink, a disabled person with one arm who had already been developing his own range of products was introduced to the Industrial Design department by Mrs. Wendy Ackerman. CPUT and Hekkie have now entered into a formal working partnership with funding graciously approved by the Ackerman Family Educational Trust. The challenge is now on to develop Hekkie’s products into a commercially viable range.

Master’s candidate, Luciano Wegmershaus, is one of the students involved in the project. He’s passionate about socially responsible design, sustainable design and universal design and says he feels a moral obligation to act. The very grateful recipient of a bursary from the Ackerman Family Educational Trust, Luciano says partnerships such as these between people like Hekkie Brink, academia and the design industry are critical in helping people with disabilities.

“I would like to thank Mrs Wendy Ackerman for her support and her belief in this project. Without the aid and altruistic intentions of such generous donors, projects such as these would surely fail.”

The crack team of designers, known as the UD@Home team, plan to have these innovative kitchen aids in store by as early as next year.

Written by CPUT News
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