Here’s another innovation with a holiday spin. A palm-sized modular toy that was created by a fourth-year industrial design student in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Virginia Tech has been awarded a design patent and is available for licensing through Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties Inc. (VTIP). Created by Kelly Harrigan of Manassas, VA, the toy took the top prize last year in a competition for wooden game or design objects for ages 3 to 99 hosted by Swiss toymaker Naef Spielzeug. Harrigan layered the wooden shapes of her toy with a type of ceramic magnet called ferrite – thus, the toy’s name “Ferra.” The modular design “allows for smooth movement between pieces and the opportunity to create several configurations,” Harrigan adds. When laser cut, the toy can be produced with little material waste.
Source: Newswise