Open to the public from 18-20 June, the Festival of Design & Engineering (FODE) returns to BU’s Talbot Campus, displaying novel and exciting final-year projects from across BU’s Design and Engineering courses.
“This year’s FoDE projects are a fantastic reflection of the creativity and innovation of our students.” Said Abigail Batley, lecturer in Design & Engineering at BU “What stands out most is how many of the projects tackle timely, real-world challenges for people. Throughout the exhibition, you’ll see students placing users at the heart of their design process, developing solutions that are not only technically robust but genuinely meaningful and impactful.”
Creations for Care
Several of this year’s entries aim to address everyday wellbeing issues with compact and effective designs, such as Jessica Platt’s PAWSE device. Produced with dog separation anxiety in mind, this device detects increases in stress levels and responds in real time by releasing a dog appeasing pheromone spray to provide calming support.
Jessica said: "The inspiration for Pawse came from my own dog, Baylee, who suffers from separation anxiety when left alone. Seeing firsthand how stress can affect dogs' behaviour and wellbeing made me want to explore whether there was a better way to support dogs. I found that existing solutions often focused on either monitoring a dog’s wellbeing or providing calming interventions, but rarely both. This inspired me to develop Pawse, a product that could proactively detect signs of stress and respond immediately, helping dogs feel calmer while providing owners with greater peace of mind."
Enabling Independence
Halo seeks to alleviate the difficulties of dining out for visually impaired individuals with its compact and comfortable design. Its adjustable brightness, magnifying lens and colour temperature makes it versatile and intuitive to the user, providing greater visibility in low-light environments such as candle-lit restaurants where reading menus may be difficult.
“I decided to design Halo after identifying a gap in the current visual aid market.” Said Josh Lowe, Halo’s designer. “Whilst many products exist to assist individuals with visual impairments, there are still significant barriers to comfortable and independent social experiences, particularly within hospitality environments such as restaurants and bars.”
Other entries include:
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Solace- female sanitary device designed for use in the armed forces
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Siren- autonomous underwater exploration vehicle
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SeaEyewear- Hybrid sunglasses/swimming goggles
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TrueTable- a self-levelling pool table
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Rekindled- designed to encourage family conversations at the dinner table
Guarding Against Hypothermia
Alongside helpful everyday gadgets, FODE will be showcasing designs intended to save lives at sea.
Rupert Murphy’s Re-Warm addresses a critical gap in current hypothermia treatment by providing internal heat insulation via warm, humid air to be inhaled after rescue. Driven by the user’s own breathing, the design eliminates the need for electronics and pumps, making it reliable and ergonomic, suitable for RLNI rescue crews.
“Bournemouth University's workshop facilities allowed me to quickly prototype, build models, and test ideas throughout development. Primary research with industry professionals, RNLI crew members, and medical specialists ensured the project met real-world needs.”
Aiming to combat lethal cold-water immersion, James Vacher’s heated life vest design provides controlled warmth near vital areas on the torso. A slim and practical design, the vest maintains body temperature to extend survival time until rescue or self-recovery.
Visit the Festival
The BU Festival of Design & Engineering offers an invaluable opportunity for final-year students to exhibit their hard work to industry professionals, inspire prospective students and engage with members of the public whose lives may be changed by the products on display.
“This year’s FODE projects are a fantastic reflection of the creativity and innovation of our students.” Abigail Batley continued: “What stands out most is how many of the projects tackle timely, real-world challenges for people.”
The exhibition is open to members of the public from Friday 19 – 20 June 2026. Free tickets can be booked online.
Industry private viewing will take place on Thursday 18 June.
More information about our Design & Engineering courses can be found on the BU website.
