Hasta La Ideas

How do you solve a problem like James Dyson, he of the life-changing vaccuums and bladeless fans? “Put faith in frustrations and solve the problems that cause them,” advises the Norfolk-born industrial designer. “We’re looking for people who rather than accept a problem, go further to design a simple and effective solution.” Such is the premise of the James Dyson Award, a competition open to students studying product design, industrial design, and engineering at the university level (or recent graduates) in 18 countries, including the United States and Canada. Last year’s big winner was Royal College of Art grad Dan Watson‘s SafetyNet, a device to increase the sustainability of fishing:

Inspired yet? Entries open today for the 2013 award, and the prize money has been doubled. Register here to submit footage, images, and sketches of your idea, along with details of your design process and inspiration by the deadline of August 1. The national winners and finalists will be announced this fall after local panels of designers, engineers, and design critics compile their shortlists. Up for grabs is around $150,000 in prize money, including an international prize of $45,000 for the student/team and another $15,000 for his or her school, along with a swell trophy that may well double as a dustbuster.

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