The Design Council launch their Living well with dementia challenge

Amongst the members of the advisory board who will be judging entries is Alzheimer's Society Chief Executive Jeremy Hughes.

In partnership with the Department of Health, the Design Council has asked teams to produce innovative new ideas that will help improve the lives of people with dementia and their carers. The competition is open to a diverse range of participants and different types of solutions to be developed - it could be hardware, software, product, service, architecture or all of the above.

Teams have until 5pm on the 30 September 2011 to submit their ideas, with up to 15 being selected to receive £2,000 to develop their ideas and produce a business plan. From March 2012 finalists who receive a share of the £330,000 development budget will showcase their working prototypes to the public and healthcare audience, as well as launching to investors and potential partners.

This challenge is not just about nice ideas; final projects are expected to make a real positive impact on the lives of those affected by dementia. If you are interested in taking part in the challenge, further details can be found on the Design Council's Design Challenges website.