Wearables for Good design challenge attracts over 600 registrations so far
#WearablesForGood

Company Website: http://www.arm.com
LONDON & NEW YORK -- (Business Wire)

The Wearables for Good design challenge is rapidly turning into one of the most inclusive global technology races ever, attracting more than 600 registrations so far from Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe and North and South America all vying for two winning places. With the entry deadline approaching rapidly (Aug. 4), the Wearables for Good challenge website is seeing 5,000 page views per week with browsers’ ages ranging from 18 to 60 years-old and a fairly even split between male and female. The challenge, coordinated by UNICEF, ARM and frog, tasks entrants with creating ideas for new and innovative wearable devices that tackle issues such as maternal and child health needs in emerging economies.

Regions involved include:

• Africa: Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe
• Asia: China, India, Pakistan, Nepal, South Korea, Vietnam
• Europe: UK, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain
• North America: US, Canada
• South America: Brazil

“It is not too late to enter – we are looking for concepts that address these global issues, not final designs,” said Erica Kochi, co-lead and co-founder of UNICEF Innovation. “We set up the challenge this way to make participation widely available to anyone with a good idea. The challenge itself is unique among open tech challenges both in its global reach and with the focus on creating products to save lives, help educate young people or advance their communities in some way.”

“The Wearables design challenge was set to encourage a diverse group of people to create ideas for new technologies that solve a social problem,” said Simon Segars, CEO, ARM. “The broad spread of people registering tells us we are succeeding. This is hugely encouraging as conceiving technologies that tackle issues such as child health and education, especially in the emerging world, demands the attention of people with an array of life and professional experience.”

“We are excited to see submissions—and expressions of interest—coming from the geographies where these solutions will bring the most value and deliver the highest impact,” said Fabio Sergio, vice president of Creative, frog. “This challenge offers an opportunity for local innovators to submit ideas and concepts that draw on their inherent sensitivity to the needs and aspirations of the people they are trying to help.”

The applications will be reviewed by a panel of technology, design and humanitarian experts from August 4, with ten finalists shortlisted. The competition panel will assess entries on several levels including product and service design that disrupts or improves the status quo, sustainability of technology and potential impact at scale.

The 'Use Case Handbook,' created by UNICEF and frog, guides the entrants and helps them structure their ideas. The handbook outlines the challenges that need to be addressed, as well as considerations, context and principles for good design.

Those ten finalists will receive about a month of coaching and mentoring to refine and resubmit their ideas. Out of the ten finalists, two winners will be selected at the end of the design challenge. Each winner will receive $15,000 funding alongside incubation and mentorship support from UNICEF, ARM and frog.

About ARM
ARM (LSE: ARM, NASDAQ: ARMH.US) is at the heart of the world's most advanced digital products. Our technology enables the creation of new markets and transformation of industries and society. We design scalable, energy-efficient processors and related technologies to deliver the intelligence in applications ranging from sensors to servers, including smartphones, tablets, enterprise infrastructure and the Internet of Things.

Our innovative technology is licensed by ARM Partners who have shipped more than 60 billion System on Chip (SoCs) containing our intellectual property since the company began in 1990. Together with our Connected Community, we are breaking down barriers to innovation for developers, designers and engineers, ensuring a fast, reliable route to market for leading electronics companies. Learn more and join the conversation at http://community.arm.com.

About UNICEF
UNICEF promotes the rights and well-being of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information about UNICEF visit: www.unicef.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

UNICEF Innovation is an interdisciplinary team of individuals around the world tasked with identifying, prototyping, and scaling technologies and practices that strengthen UNICEF’s work. We build and scale innovations that improve children’s lives around the world. For more information about UNICEF’s work in innovation, visit: www.unicef.org/innovation and www.unicefstories.org. Follow us on Twitter.

ABOUT frog
frog is a global product strategy and design firm. Our work solves problems, anticipates the future and advances the human experience. We are more than 600 strategists, researchers, designers, and technologists who consult and partner with clients across industries. Headquartered in San Francisco, we have offices in Amsterdam, Austin, Boston, London, Milan, Munich, New York, Seattle, Shanghai and Singapore. www.frogdesign.com.

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Contacts:

ARM
Andy Winstanley, +44 1223 405244/ +44 7788 249712
Director of Corporate PR
andy.winstanley@arm.com
or
UNICEF Innovation
Dana Zucker, +1-973-462-3855
Communications Lead
dzucker@unicef.org
or
UNICEF UK
Vicky Gashe, + 44 20 7375 6120 / 07785 468987
Senior Media & Communications Manager
vickyg@unicef.org.uk
or
Kwittken, on behalf of frog
Carrie Buchwalter & Kate Bell, +44 20 7401 8001
froguk@kwittken.com

Source: ARM