Umeå Institute of Design 2026 graduates tackle mining, dyslexia, mountain rescue, audio, and heat

Five graduate projects from Umeå Institute of Design in Sweden address contemporary issues through user research and future-forward thinking. Nicolò Vincenzi's Tailion, developed with Epiroc, is a screw-propelled autonomous vehicle for cleaning tailings ponds. Pierre Brand's Bloom, created with Logitech, is a multisensory literacy toolbox for dyslexic children aged 6-9. Josephine Samuelsson Wahl's Land Rover 365, in partnership with Land Rover and Region Västerbotten, is a rescue vehicle with reconfigurable wheel geometry for mountain emergencies. Mårten Malmnäs's Beosound Tableau, made with Bang & Olufsen, is a wall-mounted audio object navigated by sound. Yishun Dai's Umbría uses passive thermal management to cool parked cars in extreme heat, anticipating conditions in Andalucía by the 2030s. The projects span Advanced Product Design, Interaction Design, Transportation Design, and Industrial Design.