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December, 2004 |
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A utility patent for the Gardening Stool, filed in 2001 was issued on December 28, 2004. Goodwin, Rovig and Volkman are the inventors. The intellectual property is assigned to White Pine Concepts. The patent has been licensed to Vertex Corporation since 2001
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October, 2004 |
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Backpacker Magazine
Read the article.
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September, 2004 |
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SPLORE is a Salt Lake City-based organization which offers wilderness and outdoor experiences
for people with disabilities. One of their volunteers, Michael McBee attended the OR show,
and was interviewed on television. This article on Page 6 of SPLORE's newsletter describes
their involvement in the tent development and shows a picture of Michael McBee at the Outdoor
Retailer show.
Read the article
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September, 2004 |
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Sporting Goods Business mentions the Freedom in “Fresh Finds-- a Mix of Product Picks for Spring '05”, an article by Emily Walzer.
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August, 2004 |
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In their Summer Market preview, SportsEdge described the Freedom as a tent which assures physical disabilities are no longer a restriction to campers wanting to explore the outdoors.
Read the article.
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August, 2004 |
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Tom Wharton, from the Salt Lake Tribune described the Freedom as the “top product of the show”.
Read the article.
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August, 2004 |
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The Saturday issue of the Outdoor Retailer Daily made note of the Freedom in its articles on major trends at the show, citing the trend towards segmentation.
Read the article.
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August, 2004 |
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The Sunday issue of the Outdoor Retailer Daily had an article on the Freedom, titled: Eureka! A Tent for Disabled Campers.
Read the article.
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August, 2004 |
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The newsletter and web site of the National Center for Physical Activity and Disability featured the Freedom and the Garden Rocker in an article featuring new accessible recreation products, entitled “RecTech-Nudge Corner: Innovative Rehabilitation Technology Products”
Read the August newsletter.
Read the article.
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August, 2004 |
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Di was nominated and elected Vice Chair of RESNA's Technology Transfer Special Interest Group. Steve Bauer, from the RERC on Technology Transfer at SUNY-Buffalo is the presiding chair.
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August 14, 2004 |
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Di, Sherry and Kevin were interviewed by Brian Brinkerhoff on Backcountry-Magazine Radio, a live radio show in Salt Lake City, in which they discussed the development and features of the Freedom Tent.
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August 13, 2004 |
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The Salt Lake City NBC affiliate did a television segment on Friday's six o'clock news, interviewing Dianne Goodwin and Mike McBee, a volunteer from a local organization, 'SPLORE, which provides inclusive camping trips and outdoor recreation opportunities was on hand for the interview as well.
Read the transcript and photo.
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August 13, 2004 |
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A Press Event announcing the new Freedom tent was held at the Outdoor Retailer show. Di Goodwin explained the development process and discussed the accessibility features of the Freedom for members of the outdoor media.
Read the press release.
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July 30, 2004 |
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BSD announces the licensing of its patent-pending accessible tent and door designs to Eureka!, one of the largest manufacturers of camping tents. Eureka! will introduce the Freedom tent at the Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake City in August 2004.
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June, 2004 |
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Denise Cowie’s article, The Goods, appeared in Philly.com, the web version of the Philadelphia Daily News. Her article featured ergonomic gardening equipment identified by Tony Rabold at handhelpers.com. She said "I've tried kneeling pads, garden bucket seats, bending, and sitting," Rabold says, "and this rocker is it, as far as sitting and gardening." It reduces the strain on the lower back and knees, she says, and the seat height is adjustable.
Read the article.
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Spring 2004 |
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Garden Rocker appeared on the cover of Plow and Hearth
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May 2 2004 |
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Garden Rocker was shown on Channel 4 News with Esmee Murphy (Minneapolis-St. Paul)
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May 2004 |
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Di Goodwin was interviewed by Earle Harrison on STAR Point, a project of the Minnesota STAR Program. The purpose of this Internet radio resource is to educate Minnesotans on a broad array of issues related to assistive technology, assistive technology services and legislation regarding access to information technology and accessibility issues in general. You may listen to her interview or read the transcript at their website.
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May 2004 |
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Di Goodwin was invited to jury the Mechanical Engineering Student Design Show at the University of Minnesota. Among the presenters was the team she led. Their project was the development of concepts for a Watercraft Transfer Mechanism to make it easier for people to get into and out of small watercraft. (Link to Design team-- Students and Interns)
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April 21, 2004 |
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Garden Rocker shown on ABC News' Good Morning America Show, with
Rebecca Kolls. Gardening expert Rebecca Kolls included the Deluxe Garden Rocker with the cushion
in a segment called Bionic Gloves, Cool Tools for Your Garden, in which she introduced this year's
new batch of gardening tools and accessories.
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February 2004 |
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Goodwin invited to speak on a panel at the University of Minnesota’s College of Biological Sciences entitled “Putting Your Entrepreneurial Spirit to Work: The Business of Biology”.
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January/February 2004 |
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Fabric Architecture featured the accessible tents being developed in an article entitled “Freedom by Design”.
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January 2004 |
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Goodwin and Rovig invited to participate in the professional snow sculpting exhibition at the Ely Winter Voyageur’s Festival. They joined Penny Perry in carving an 8 by 8 foot block of snow, creating a large book which opened up onto a tea table at which the March Hare and the Mad Hatter and the Dormouse sat. Humpty Dumpty sat precariously on a stone wall created by one side of the open book, with Alice reaching up to him. Alice was dressed in mukluks for the occasion. The Cheshire Cat sat on the other side. Her ears had disappeared yet her smile remained. Perry, Goodwin and Rovig’s smiles were present, even at 30 below.
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January-May 2004 |
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BSD partners with a team of mechanical engineering students at the University of Minnesota in their Senior Design class to identify an easier way to transfer individuals from a dock or pier to a boat.
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October 2003 |
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BlueSky Designs wins SBIR Award from NIDRR.
BlueSky Designs was awarded a new SBIR Award from the Department of Education to develop innovative mounting technology for persons with disabilities. The key innovation is that the design will allow individuals with limitations in strength and dexterity to safely and independently reposition devices which are mounted to wheelchairs or tables.
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August 2003 |
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The Garden Rocker was a winner in the "Best New Products of 2003" Competition sponsored by the Minnesota Inventor's Network. The Rocker took first in the Lawn and Garden Division. Winning products were on display at the Inventor's Network booth at the Minnesota State Fair.
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August 2003 |
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BlueSky Designs applied for a utility patent on innovations in tent door technology.
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July-September 2003 |
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BlueSky's staff and partners field tested the new tent designs in the following locations: Voyageur's National Park, Apostle Islands in Lake Superior, Namekagon River, St. Croix River, Colorado Rockies, the Upper Colorado River, and the Grand Canyon.
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July 2003 |
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NBC Today Show features
Garden Rocker: “This would be good for everyone!”
Today show hosts were impressed with the Garden Rocker. They rocked on it, called it “very comfortable”, and said, “This would be good for everyone!” on a segment in which Jim Miller, syndicated columnist of Savvy Senior, showed new “Gadgets for Seniors.”
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July 2003 |
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Garden Rocker goes down under—first shipment to Australia
Over 600 Garden Rockers are making their way to Australia, just in time for Spring down under.
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July 2003 |
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BSD’s tent and vestibule featured in inTents magazine
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June 2003 |
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BSD refines its focus and expands its presence with new logo and web site launch.
In its fifth year, BlueSky Designs decided it was time to develop a logo, tagline and web site that reflects what it has evolved into. Its tagline, “design beyond limits”, is captured in a playful logo which depicts a lever, fulcrum and a ball, making you feel something is about to happen. BSD’s aim is to provide people with ways to do things more easily. Design beyond limits refers both to limits imposed by existing products or the built environment, and beyond the limits of a person’s physical or cognitive abilities.
The new web site will serve as a tool to share information regarding BSD’s activities and to inform people about Universal Design, assistive technology and product development.
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June 2003 |
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Goodwin invited to speak at RESNA: Integrating Universal Design into the Product Development Process
Goodwin spoke at a Research Platform session, Commercializing Universally Accessible Products, held at the 26th conference of the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA). Her presentation, entitled “Integrating Universal Design into the Product Development Process”, described the way in which companies can incorporate UD principles in their product design. She illustrated how to implement strategies to ensure products meet the needs of a broader range of end users through case studies of two products she and Rovig have developed, an ergonomic garden seat and an accessible tent.
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June 2003 |
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Rick Peterson joins staff at BlueSky Designs.
Rick Peterson has joined BSD’s staff as a Research Engineer. Rick has provided valuable technical and research support to BSD for some time. His experience in assistive speech technologies, neural networks, and electronics and computer-based technologies significantly expand BSD’s areas of expertise. Rick will apply his skills to efforts involving consumer input into our research activities.
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March 2003 |
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Pioneer Press Business section notes Balance Bar grant to BlueSky Designs
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March 2003 |
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Pioneer Press reflects on cool, blue companies—why BlueSky Designs?
Alison Kaplan explored why companies use Blue in their company names. Goodwin explained that she was going for a “the sky’s the limit”, “thinking way outside the box”, “possibility thinking” feel.
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March 2003 |
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Kevin's Winter Mitts reviewed.
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March 2003 |
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Vulpine Takes the Challenge
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Feb-April 2003 |
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BlueSky Designs’ tent and rocker featured at Goldstein's Here by Design show
The Goldstein Museum of Design at the University of Minnesota invited BlueSky Designs to be one of the Twin Cities design firms featured in their annual Here by Design exhibit.
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February 2003 |
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Rocker featured in Better Homes and Gardens Product Guide
See excerpt.
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February 2003 |
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Balance Bar awards BSD grant for Entrepreneurial Women
Goodwin was awarded a grant to further develop new products, apply for patents, and provide staff training in 3D computer modeling in SolidWorks.
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January 2003 |
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Goodwin and Rovig join White Pine Concepts, LLC
Goodwin and Rovig developed the Garden Rocker jointly with Cheryl Volkman. White Pine Concepts, a limited liability corporation, was established to develop and license the rights to the Rocker. As of January 2003, Goodwin and Rovig joined Volkman as full partners in the LLC.
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September 2002 |
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The Garden Rocker rolls!
Vertex International sold its first Rockers, beginning production just six months after signing a licensing agreement. Rocker prototypes were shown at the Hardware Show, in Chicago in August.
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July 2002 |
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BlueSky Designs awarded Phase 2 Small Business Innovation Research grant.
BlueSky Designs was awarded a Phase 2 SBIR grant to further develop the innovative tent and vestibule designs developed in Phase 1. The grant period runs from September 2002-August 2004, at which time the two designs will be ready for commercialization.
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August 2002 |
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Goodwin interviewed on KCCO Radio Business show.
Susie Jones, of KCCO’s radio show, Strictly Business, interviewed Goodwin about her company, BlueSky Designs, her experience in the field of rehabilitation engineering, and the company’s decision to evolve from custom designs to product development. Goodwin explained that she and her partners wish to apply the knowledge they have gained from working with thousands of individuals to develop commercially available products, impacting many more people than they can with custom designs.
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August 2002 |
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Inventing Products for Everyone—Minneapolis Star Tribune article on BSD.
Article in the business section featured BlueSky Designs, its focus, process, and the tent and vestibule design.
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April 2002 |
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BlueSky Designs wins Minnesota Project Innovation's Dillon Persistence Award.
Goodwin accepted an award from Pat Dillon, of Minnesota Project Innovation, for “showing the patience and persistence required” to win their first SBIR grant.
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March 2002 |
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Vertex International licenses Garden Rocker.
Goodwin, Rovig and Volkman sign a licensing agreement with Vertex International, a Minnesota-based manufacturer of home and garden products.
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March 2002 |
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Patents issued for Gardening Stool and Gardening Kneeling Assistor.
Design patents were issued to Goodwin, Rovig and Volkman for two different products resulting from 4 years of independent product development, market research and consumer testing.
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March 2002 |
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Patents issued for Gardening Stool and Gardening Kneeling Assistor
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February 2002 |
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Phase I SBIR completed.
BlueSky Designs developed and tested 4 structures and 6 door styles in Phase I. Results showed that a redesign of standard tent technology could significantly improve the accessibility and usability of tents. People with significant disabilities could independently enter and exit tents with the improved door designs. Campers without disabilities appreciated the ease of access for times when it is raining or they were carrying things, and they liked the extra storage room provided by the universal vestibule.
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May 2001 |
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BSD receives Small Business Innovation Research Award from USDA for Accessible Tent and Vestibule. BlueSky Designs was awarded a SBIR Phase I grant from the Department of Agriculture to develop more accessible tent and vestibule technology for camping. It has been shown that people with disabilities participate in outdoor recreation at the same rate as those without disabilities, even more in some activity areas. An increase in the number of people camping can positively impact rural economies, where outdoor recreation is a driver of the economy.
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November 2000 |
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Exceptional Parent: Technology and Employment
Goodwin was interviewed regarding job accommodations for people with significant
disabilities.
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February-March 1999 |
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All-Turn-It Spinner touted as tool for inclusion in Closing the Gap publication
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September 1998 |
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Orthotics Team Teaches, Learns in Latin America
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March 1997 |
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Randy Moves On
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Sept 1997 |
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Custom Orthotic Seating
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BSD in the News