For over 70 years, the iF Design Award has been awarded annually to recognize excellent designs. As one of the more celebrated competitions, it garners over 11,000 entries from 56 countries. For the fourth time overall and second year in a row, Laerdal Medical has received distinction with Little Anne winning the iF Design Award for a Product in the Medicine/Health sector.
Such recognition ties into the larger shift happening not only within the industry, but particularly at Laerdal. A philosophical movement from not only design that looks good, but also operates at a high end to solve both current and future challenges.
Highlighting this change is vital to the criteria for the iF Design award which places importance on capturing technology to improve the user experience with a focus on impact and functionality. Sustainability is also considered and will be an official determining factor starting in 2024.
Addressing this complex challenge starts with a strategy.
"In design here at Laerdal, we take a holistic approach, beyond just how the product looks," says Bram van Krieken, Industrial Design Manager at Laerdal Medical.
This perspective is epitomized with the latest offering of the Little Anne product line.
The Little Anne was first introduced 30 years ago, and this version pays tribute to the classic look with a touch of modern design. The combination of a stackable design that improves transportability and streamlined maintenance for the airway system creates an unparalleled safe, efficient, and seamless experience for both instructors and learners. In turn, resulting in the impact of more people being able to train and learn CPR, potentially saving more lives.
With respect to sustainability, the new design utilizes 60% recycled material and reduces Carbon Dioxide emissions by 68% when compared to previous generations.
And this is just the beginning.