RMIT University student Sze Tjin Yek has won $9,700 for inventing a sustainable acoustic panel through the repurposing of discarded textiles.
The industrial design student called her invention Sorbet, and had entered it into the national James Dyson Award for 2024.
According to Tjin Yek, acoustic panels like Sorbet are necessary for managing noise pollution in both domestic and commercial environments. The panels are designed from nearly 100 per cent textile waste.
Her winning funds will go towards further development and commercialisation.
Tjin Yek claimed these panels have already been tested in her father’s hometown in Malaysia, and she will seek out collaborative opportunities to develop a collection system with households or charities, as well as streamline the production process.
“My vision is to make Sorbet accessible to everyone, allowing households to create their own acoustic panels from textile waste using everyday tools,” Tjin Yek said. “By integrating Sorbet into our homes, I hope to raise awareness about consumption habits and reduce the impact of textile waste.
“Seeing my concept implemented in places like my father’s hometown in Sarawak, Malaysia, where textile waste was used as wall insulation, reinforces my belief in the power of creative solutions to address global challenges.
“As a designer, I aspire to see more artistic approaches in the design engineering field, where traditional and contemporary art methods can transform common materials into valuable, sustainable innovations.”
This year’s Australian entries were judged by The Australian technology editor Jared Lynch, Sydney Morning Herald technology editor David Swan, and medical doctor and qualified rocket scientist Dr Anita Vandyke.
"Sorbet was a stand out winner because it is turning an item that was previously considered waste into something that can be used widely,” Vandyke said. “This is truly embracing the zero waste ethos. Congratulations to the winner!"
Tjin Yek won the national award against two other runner up solutions, including a disaster alert system called Koros Alert System and Brews to Blooms - biodegradable pot plants made from coffee grounds and simple household ingredients.
Sorbet will progress to the next stage of the James Dyson Award, with the international Top 20 shortlist to be announced on October 16, selected by Dyson engineers, and the global winners on November 13, chosen by Sir James Dyson. The international winner will receive a cash grant up to $58,000, with runner ups set to score $9,700.
The James Dyson Award is an international design competition for design engineers. The Award operates across 29 countries in 2024 and has supported over 400 problem-solving inventions with over £1 million (A$1.96 million) in prize money.