The 2026 “Great Design” Competition was jointly organized by the Gigabyte Education Foundation and Wonderland Group. The final round and award ceremony were held on March 28 at the NCCU Public Enterprise Center. The work SAFESTEP SMART MAT, created by students from the Department of Product Design at Ming Chuan University, stood out among 246 entries nationwide, advanced to the top eight, and ultimately won the Excellence Award in the “Innovative Technology” category, demonstrating the strong design capabilities of Ming Chuan students.
The project SAFESTEP SMART MAT was co-designed by third-year students Poon Hoi Yan (from Hong Kong) and Lin Chih-Yu, under the guidance of Professor Lin Fu-Nian. It is a smart sensing mat designed to detect falls among elderly individuals living alone, seniors, and those requiring care. As Taiwan has officially entered a super-aged society, the risks and injuries caused by falls among the elderly have drawn increasing attention. How to detect such incidents immediately and provide timely assistance has become a key issue in home care. Centered on the concept of a “non-intrusive, continuously operating safety interface,” the design aims to enhance home safety without disrupting daily life.
In terms of technological integration, the team incorporated three core systems: pressure sensing, pressure area analysis, and image-assisted recognition. By monitoring ground pressure distribution in real time, the system can accurately distinguish between standing and falling based on differences in contact patterns, while image-assisted analysis helps reduce false alarms. In addition, the mat features a PU waterproof sealed interior, and an outer layer combining TPU and EVA cushioning materials, ensuring durability and water resistance while also reducing impact injuries during falls.
The product design also emphasizes practicality and flexibility. By placing smart mats along daily movement paths, combined with high-density sensing and real-time data analysis, the system continuously tracks user activity. In the event of an abnormal situation, it immediately notifies family members or caregivers, securing critical rescue time. The modular design allows flexible configuration for different home environments and is easy to install. SAFESTEP requires no wearable devices and does not interfere with daily life, enabling elderly users to receive continuous protection without psychological burden—earning unanimous praise from the judges.
This year’s competition theme closely addressed social trends and was divided into two categories: the Innovative Technology category “IN:Tech” and the Lifestyle Enhancement category “Pawtection.” The “Innovative Technology” category specifically responds to the challenges of Taiwan’s transition into a super-aged society, requiring participants to design electronic products that align with sustainability values and inclusivity. The judging panel also invited representatives from the iF and Red Dot international design awards, enhancing the competition’s global visibility. Selected works were exhibited from April 17 to 29 at the “iF Taipei Design Salon” on the second floor of Songshan Cultural and Creative Park. Faculty members, students, and design professionals were invited to visit and appreciate the exhibition.
Source: Ming Chuan Weekly, provided by the Gigabyte Education Foundation（https://www.week.mcu.edu.tw/55301/）