When it comes to turning ideas into action, two young Australians are showing the world that brilliance, creativity, and determination know no bounds. Maximillian O’Brien from RMIT University and Hannah Gough from Swinburne University of Technology have just been named international Top 20 finalists in the prestigious 20th James Dyson Award, a global competition that celebrates student inventors tackling real-world challenges. Their inventions, Flow and SyriSter, are already making waves – and inspiring the next generation of innovators.
For Maximillian, the spark for Flow came from something many of us see every day but rarely think about: a discarded mattress. In Australia alone, 1.8 million mattresses are thrown away each year, most of them ending up in landfill. “I noticed mattresses everywhere on the roadside,” Max recalls, “and it made me wonder, what if we could design a mattress made to come apart, be repaired, and fully recovered?”
His answer is Flow, a revolutionary mattress system designed for a circular life. Flow disassembles in under 30 seconds, uses no landfill-bound materials, and delivers the same comfort and support as traditional mattresses. After months of research with recyclers, material scientists, and members of the Australian Bedding Stewardship Council, Max has created a solution that’s both environmentally responsible and user-friendly, setting a new standard for sustainable sleep.
Hannah’s inspiration comes from a desire to save lives. Unsafe syringe reuse remains a critical global health issue, contributing to millions of infections each year from hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. From her research, she discovered that many communities in crisis zones lack the means to sterilise medical equipment safely.
Her invention, SyriSter, is a portable UV-C syringe steriliser that eradicates pathogens in just 60 seconds. Lightweight and powered by rechargeable batteries, SyriSter provides a cost-efficient, portable solution for low-resource areas, helping prevent life-threatening disease transmission. “I wanted to design something that could make a tangible difference in people’s lives, particularly in medicine and humanitarian contexts,” Hannah explains. Her year-long project of interviews, prototyping, and testing has resulted in a device with the potential to save countless lives around the world.
Achieving a Top 20 finalist spot in the James Dyson Award is no small feat. Sir James Dyson himself will evaluate both Flow and SyriSter, and he will announce the global winners on 5th November. Each team will receive almost $60,000 AUD to further develop and commercialise their inventions, turning visionary ideas into tangible impact.
The James Dyson Award, now in its 20th year, has become a global platform for young designers and engineers to showcase innovations that address some of the world’s biggest problems. From eco-conscious solutions to life-saving medical devices, the award highlights the ingenuity and social responsibility of the next generation of problem solvers. Max and Hannah now join more than 400 student inventors supported by the competition since its inception, contributing to a legacy of ideas that have already changed lives worldwide
These two Australians are proof that big change starts with a question, an observation, and the courage to imagine differently. From a mattress that could otherwise pollute our planet to a portable device that could save lives in the most challenging conditions, Flow and SyriSter are shining examples of how design and engineering can combine to solve real problems with heart, intelligence, and creativity.
As the world watches the 20th James Dyson Award finalists, Max and Hannah are showing that innovation isn’t just about technology – it’s about seeing a challenge and daring to do something about it. And if their journey so far is anything to go by, these two young Australians are destined to inspire, uplift, and transform the way we think about solutions for years to come.
The post From Idea to Impact: Meet the Two Ingenious Australians Changing the World first appeared on Women Love Tech.
