Students from the University of Johannesburg (UJ) have achieved remarkable success on the international stage, taking home first place and first runner-up at the prestigious AAKRUTI Global 2025 competition held in Texas from February 1–4, 2026.
Competing against innovators worldwide, UJ’s Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture (FADA) showcased projects that utilize fourth industrial revolution technologies to solve critical health challenges, directly addressing United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
First Place: “Latch” – A Pedal-Powered Solution
The winning project, Latch, was developed by an all-female, interdepartmental team from UJ’s Wom+n in Tech (WiT) initiative. Rethabile Mosia (Industrial Design), Lerato Matobako (Multimedia Design), Courtney Hodgson, and Tyesha Billett (both Graphic Design) created a breast pump that operates without electricity.
Designed for mothers in low-resource settings, such as townships or rural villages, Latch solves the problem of power outages and lack of access to expensive equipment.
- Mechanism: Uses a foot pedal to eliminate physical strain and dependency on electricity.
- Accessibility: Features a universal lid that fits standard jars and bottles.
- Sustainability: Fully reusable and sterilizable, addressing SDG 3 (Health), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 12 (Responsible Production).
First Runner-Up: “Dr Bou” – Managing Childhood Anxiety
The second-place honor went to third-year Industrial Design students Dawson Thornton-Dibb, Ashwan Steyn, Celine Kruger, and Bokang Matloa for Dr Bou.
Dr Bou is an octopus-shaped wearable device designed to reduce fear and pain in children during injections. It utilizes:
- Cold Therapy: To numb the injection site.
- Vibration Therapy: To distract and manage anxiety.
Empathy-Driven Design
Mentored by lecturers Ashton Moseley and Pia Findlay, the teams focused on human-centred design to translate complex social challenges into tangible solutions. The triumph of the all-female Latch team highlights the success of UJ’s Wom+n in Tech initiative in promoting women’s leadership in technology-driven fields.
