Innovation-Direct: Case Study No: WMG 30

1 Client                                        LYDO Innovations

 2 Product Description

The product is a bedside cupholder which emits a gentle glow in the dark enabling people (old or young) to easily locate a glass and medicine or other drink without fumbling for the switch for the bedside lamp and being blinded by it's harsh glare which raises their level of awakeness and increases the difficulty of returning to sleep. Alternatively it prevents breakages and splillage when people try to avoid this by fumbling in the dark. The device needs no power supply. Ten minutes exposure to artificial or daylight produces an eight hour glow.  The product can either lay on a bedside table or be screwed permanently to a wall or other fixture.  The company sees this product as a precursor to a range utilising the same technology

2 Critical Issue

The critical issues were to identify materials to give the desired properties, to formulate these with the special `Glow' additives, to develop routes to manufacture and to improve the aesthetics of the product.

3 What we did

Lydo Innovations Ltd and Innovation Direct team formed a multidisciplinary team  and worked together on the processes of evaluating materials, testing and the development of manufacturing routes for the “Glo in the Dark Cup Holder” (Click link for more on the Glo in the Dark Cup Holder) Simultaneously the concept evaluation was tested and with the use of CAD imaging the aesthetics were improved with I-D producing several rapid prototype models to aid visualisation and selection of the final design..

4 Outcome

Lydo Innovation Ltd committed to production tooling, packaging and full-scale production commenced. The product is now on sale at various outlets in the UK and these are gradually being extended.  Discussions are taking place overseas to exploit export opportunities.  The company is fulsome in its praise of the assistance provided by Innovation -Direct without which, it states it would have been impossible to realise its vision

6 More information

Contact: Ricky Singh at Innovation-Direct on 024 76 572 505                                                                                  July 2004