INVENTION A SIGHT FOR SORE EYES
A GEELONG designer is aiming to have his invention included in first aid kits across the globe thanks to a novel idea after a game of water polo.
Angus Fitzpatrick, who recently took out the People’s Choice, Young Australian Designer of the Year at the Good Design Australia Awards, hopes his Rynse water bottle attachment will help reduce eye injuries in industries such as the CFA, Victoria Police and construction companies.
Mr Fitzpatrick, who works out of Geelong’s tech hub at the Federal Mills Park, said the device was small enough to fit into a pocket, Australian made and had the potential to save people’s sight.
“I was driving home from water polo one night and nearly crashed five times on the way back to Barwon Heads because my eyes were burning from chlorine. I had a Mount Franklin water bottle next to me and thought why isn’t there something that goes on the top to help,” he said. “I set about finding something that could help, particularly firefighters in bushfire zones and construction site workers.”
Working at Deakin University, Mr Fitzpatrick is involved in the development of prosthetics, opening up the idea of using a 3D printer.
Within months he had taken out the young designer award trophy, successfully pitched for council funding and had a soft launch of Rynse.
“3D printing is making these types of things attainable. With big companies on the out, the only way to do it is yourself,” he said.
“I’m from an academic background and see people with great ideas who don’t taken them any further and the innovation just stops. That’s starting to change.”
In November, Premier Daniel Andrews announced that Melbourne-born tech giant LiveTiles would establish its new global innovation centre and Asia-Pacific headquarters in Geelong, enhancing the city’s growing tech revolution.