Ollie Sweeney

Oliver is a product and industrial designer who thrives within inclusive and medical design spaces. His designs focus on ease of use and user satisfaction. He focuses on invisible design philosophy, creating unobtrusive designs that fit seamlessly with daily life.  Oliver’s interest in and understanding of manufacturing processes underpin his designs, enabling products that are both manufacturable and intuitive.

Strokes are the leading cause of adult disability in the UK and will affect a quarter of us within our lifetime, yet only 32% of stroke survivors receive the recommended 45 minutes of rehabilitation a day, causing higher levels of disability and reduced quality of life. This is largely down to two main factors, motivation and accessibility.  

Rookovery is a chess set which tackles both issues, by incorporating physiotherapy exercises within the familiar game of chess. This provides both mental stimulation, social factors and a sense of competitiveness to an otherwise monotonous task, keeping motivation high. Its design uses existing therapy exercises expressed as play; requiring users to complete upper limb exercises to unlock and move each piece. creating long therapy sessions under the guise of playing a game.

Rookovery doesn’t require the presence of a psychotherapist to operate, reducing the high costs associated with traditional therapy thereby making it vastly more accessible.