A design team from Turkey's Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ) returned from the A' Design Award competition in Milan with five awards for its innovations in medical equipment.

The Designnobis team headed by Dr. Hakan Gürsu developed devices that improve the early diagnosis and evaluation of heart conditions.

The A' Design Award competition is the most famous and comprehensive of its kind in Europe, and is supported by the European Union Design Office. The awards act as a form of accreditation among the design community and help to promote the most excellent designers and design products in Europe.

The Kardinero EKG Test System device was developed under the direction of ODTÜ Teknokent technology park with the Kardinero medical systems company.

The design is a medical treadmill of the kind used to diagnose heart conditions, which the Turkish team has redesigned to use the minimal amount of parts and components while giving maximum performance. The lighter design is simpler to manufacture and offers various speeds and educational programs. It can also be hooked up to a computer to transfer data easily. The design was developed entirely in Turkey.

In the 'Urban Furniture' category of the competition, the Designnobis team walked away with another award for its 'Monochrome' seating unit.

The unit was produced with composite materials to make it suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications. In this way, the same seating unit can be used in both interior waiting rooms and in public spaces around the city. The unit's light and stackable design makes it an ideal option for spaces where seating is moved, removed and replaced frequently, such as conference halls.