A former MA Design Innovation student from De Montfort University (DMU) Leicester has secured a US patent for a home entertainment product he has continued to develop from the DMU Innovation Centre while studying for a PhD.
Rafat Madani, who completed his master’s in 2010, has created ‘My Remote’, a fingerprint activated remote control device that allows parents to manage viewing content, restrict children’s viewing time and keeps them at a safe distance from the TV screen. It’s taken him four years to perfect the product, constantly sketching, designing and redesigning.
A father of three early teens, Rafat says he got the product idea from his constant nagging, as he puts it, to his children to do something else with their lives than sit in front of a TV, iPad or iPhone. Using colour, light and sound, the whole emphasis of the product’s finger- based design and friendly interface is put on encouraging young people to see the device as belonging to them, something they feel comfortable with and want to use.
The remote runs on a PCB, AAA battery and infrared transmitter and is activated by a fingerprint recognition system.
The former primary school teacher and art and design lecturer from Macca, in Saudi Arabia, is being sponsored by his former Saudi university to complete his PhD in Product Design and Manufacturing. Having also financed the US patent for My Remote, Umm Al-Qura University is further investing in Rafat to acquire a wider international patent covering 120 countries, including China and the Far East. Their support will also extend to developing a prototype for production in China.
As well as developing his design and continuing his studies, Rafat has also been busy marketing his product, presenting papers at major European conferences and appearing on Saudi TV, for example.
When this teacher, inventor, designer, entrepreneur and family man says that, while his product needs to make a commercial return, he’s motivated by more than making a profit, you believe him:
“I wanted to create a product that would support parents like me to encourage their children to lead healthier, more sociable lifestyles and also help safeguard their educational and emotional development,” explained Rafat.
“I’m very grateful to both my university in Saudi and DMU for the financial support I’ve enjoyed and the high quality research and study I’ve been able to focus on.”
Dr Adam Moroz, Senior Research Fellow in the DMU Faculty of Technology, is supervising Rafat’s PhD work along with Dr Emily Baines of DMU’s School of Design. He believes the US patent puts Rafat in a very good position to turn his design idea into a commercial success.
“He has created a very interesting product for the family, with a lot of novelty and with investment he will be able to build the prototype necessary to demonstrate his design has a commercial application.
“I wish him every success for the future.”
Posted on Friday 31 July 2015