Team Carson’s challenge was to think about how can we contribute to the reduction of environmental exposures that affect people’s health? Using this launching pad, Team Carson investigated the main causes of death and disease-affected-life-years (DALYs) according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and concentrated the initial research on water safety, neo-natal care, outdoor air pollution and urban mobility.

Ultimately, efforts were focussed on solving the problems associated with spending too much time indoors, namely the higher concentrations of air pollutants and the lack of sunlight, along with its associated benefits. Team Carson then reformulated the challenge to, How can we bring the benefits of the outdoors, indoors?

To answer this question, we reimagined what is possible through AiR, Augmented Immersive Reality. A portable, mixed reality and air purification device, AiR projects the location of your choice around you, immersing you in the sights, sounds and smells of the chosen location.

Unfortunately, the technology to achieve this effect is currently beyond our capabilities in the portable design desired. But we are able to create the first step towards that future vision, through WINDO. Instead of surrounding the user in an environment, it is recreated in two dimensions by an artificial window.

WINDO allows the user to choose their view, transporting themselves to the sights and sounds of some faraway beach or forest. All while WINDO cleans the air with mechanical and organic systems, and provides a Vitamin D dose using UVB lighting