Joe Blackman, a professional placement student with GBSIoT, has been awarded first place at the Connected Curriculum Skills Summit 2025, hosted at Siemens’ UK Headquarters in Manchester.
Joe represented both GBSIoT and his university with a project focused on workplace accessibility, titled “Redesigning the Festo Pick-by-Light Manual Station for Improved Accessibility.” The competition brought together students from across the country to showcase innovation in engineering and design.
Joe’s project explored how industrial workstations could be redesigned to better support users with disabilities. With 8% of the UK population living with a disability, the project aimed to identify existing limitations and propose practical improvements using Siemens NX and associated tools.
Using NX Human, Joe created digital human models based on German anthropometric data at the 5th, 50th, and 95th percentiles. A wheelchair model was also developed using official dimensional standards. These models were used to simulate user interaction with the existing iPICK workstation and to perf orm a comfort analysis, referencing criteria developed by Porter (1998).
Findings from the initial evaluation showed that the original design caused discomfort for seated users. Joe then proposed a series of redesigns, including a side-mounted iPICK module at seated height, a drawer runner system for extendable access, and audio functionality for part announcements using Flicker. The revised design was simulated using Mechatronics Concept Designer and re-evaluated for comfort and usability.
A key feature of Joe’s submission was the use of the SONY XR headset and Siemens Immersive Designer. By importing both the original and redesigned models into a virtual reality environment, Joe enabled direct ergonomic comparison through immersive prototyping. This allowed for real-time testing of posture, reach, and ease of access.
Joe was one of a small number of students selected to present their projects during the main Siemens showcase. His work stood out for its clear application of digital tools to real-world challenges and its focus on inclusive design.
Joe’s success at the Skills Summit reflects the strength of applied learning opportunities at GBSIoT and the value of industry partnerships in preparing students for future careers.
