People living with a physical disability are no different to others when it comes to their aesthetic needs. That's why it is clear to Ottobock that design demands for medical devices need to be just as high as those for other industrial products.
Those receiving the prize for the Genium are therefore all the more delighted to be able to accept the coveted National Design Award 2013 in the consumer goods product design category. The award was presented to the best, most creative and most innovative design solutions for consumer goods, capital goods and spatial design.
The Genium microprocessor-controlled knee joint is based on extensive practical experience, many years of cooperation with users and technicians as well as ongoing research and development. However, not only technology but also design plays an important role for prosthesis wearers: After all, emotional acceptance of a device is important in terms of everyday life with a prosthesis.
Together with Ottobock, product designer Nik Pelzl from studio novo developed the design for the Genium electronically controlled leg prosthesis system. They were looking for new solutions, designs and colours as well as the ultimate symbiosis of form, function and quality. The designers and engineers were aware of the fact that the Genium would serve people facing exceptional situations who had lost a body part due to illness or an accident. A harmonious body image and the use of technology help to reduce stigmatisation and offer an alternative which maintains the wearer's dignity.