Brüel & Kjær wins Danish Design Prize
Brüel & Kjær's new hand-held analyzer was awarded the Danish Design Prize 2004
at the end of last year for its "outstanding design and state of the art
technology". Realising that sound and vibration is often measured under
many difficult conditions, from narrow inspection shafts to the tops of
tall chimneys, the company involved 70 professional users from four countries
in the development of its latest hand-held analyzer. These users set many
requirements for the new generation of sound analyzers. The result was
a completely new design with well-thought out functions, making it easy
and reliable to use, even under extreme conditions. It can be securely
held and easily operated using one hand. Its display is easily readable
under all conditions, from bright sunshine to total darkness. And it can
be supplied as an off-the-shelf standard model or one customised for more
specific technical requirements.
The award was presented by His Royal Highness Prince Frederik, patron of the Danish Design Centre, shown in the photo presenting the award to Brüel & Kjær and designer Steve McGugan. The jury's verdict was that this was a "sound level meter with outstanding interface. The design has been influenced by the users who have, laudably, been at the centre of the design process. The result is a sound meter that pushes the envelope for potential requirements to instrument design. It is nice to handle, has a simple and straightforward user interface and is practically hard to put down."