Gyeonggi Province (located in the mid-western part of the Korean peninsula) announced the 20 finalists of its 10th Public Design Contest Exhibit on Monday. This year’s exhibit theme was ‘Service Design’ projects that sought for the obstacles and difficulties faced by ordinary people, and suggested ways to improve their overall satisfaction levels.
There were two first prize winners and one of them was the 360-degree smart card reader, designed by by a college student Si In-young from Konkuk University. Unlike conventional rectangle-shaped card readers found in public buses, the new 360-degree smart card reader design could help ease congestion in crowded buses as everyone tries to tap their cards from different directions while boarding the bus especially during peak hours. The evaluators praised the device’s accessibility and convenience for children and the elderly.
