The Red Dot Gala on 3rd July 2017 in the Aalto-Theatre in Essen was the final celebratory highlight to mark the close of the competition. All prize-winners of the Red Dot: Best of the Best are granted the special honour of receiving the Red Dot Trophy on stage in the presence of around 1,200 guests from all over the world, including design stars, media representatives, business experts, and political figures. Ash were delighted to be part of the celebrations with our long-term design partner Dolmen. Their work on the Omni Digital Microscope was recognised with a prestigious Red Dot Product Design Award for 2017.
The key design challenge was to create a high-tech product that felt as easy and intuitive to use as a traditional optical microscope. Omni takes visual and ergonomic cues from traditional optical devices and features a single, integrated rotary control dial. All key functions can be easily accessed and adjusted using a single, clear, intuitive circular interface. This feature forms the centrepiece for the product, presenting a familiar design language for the optical market, helping to bring traditional users on the journey to digital magnification.