A series of projects addressing topics such as patient-provider communication in healthcare and combating food waste characterized the first edition of the national competition organized by the University of the Republic of San Marino in the field of Interaction & Experience Design, a discipline that studies and develops increasingly advanced systems to allow people to easily interact with technological tools.
Paola Moroni won first prize for proposing a solution to some of children's learning difficulties through the use of interactive tools. Her project is based on a kit containing objects of various shapes and sizes, inspired by some of the most commonly used symbols in school, such as arrows and circles. By following the instructions contained in an app developed for tablets and similar devices, young children can more immediately grasp concepts such as shapes and geometry, thanks to an experience that combines physical and digital interactions.
The contest was attended by students and graduates from academic institutions such as the Polytechnic University of Milan and the Polytechnic University of Turin, the IUAV University of Venice, and the Istituto Superiore per le Industrie Artistiche (ISIA) of Faenza. The entries were evaluated by a jury composed of Alessandra Bosco, director of the master's degree program in Interaction & Experience Design at the University of San Marino; Loredana Bontempi, co-founder of the Milan-based Parco Studio; Serena Cangiano, a staff member at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI); Paolo Rigamonti, partner at Studio Limiteazero; and Michele Zannoni, professor at the University of Bologna.
A group of students and graduates from Bosco's program also awarded three honorable mentions for the projects that stood out most in the areas of sustainability, innovation, and ease of use: "The competition," the academic explained, "was above all a valuable opportunity for growth in knowledge for everyone, from participants to jury members, involving students, designers, and schools that work in this field every day." Deputy Director of the program, Silvia Gasparotto, also commented positively: "With this first edition, we have begun a journey that will develop over the coming years with the goal of involving even more students and schools, highlighting the multiple potential offered by Interaction and Experience Design." The awards ceremony took place on July 5th.
