|
Perthshire Advertiser May 18 2007 |
Award-winning Tanya is a real mother of invention
A MOTHER from Perth has been named as Scotland’s most innovative female inventor at the prestigious Biggart Baillie Awards.
Tanya Ewing picked up £1000 and a trophy for her energy monitoring device, Ewgeco. The product, which is set to change the way people consumer energy at home, and in schools was judge to be the top new product in the female innovator category.
Ewgeco is the result of months of research and development after Tanya discovered there were no products that would enable her to know the real the consumption of electricity, water and gas without getting on her hands and knees to read the meter under the stairs.
As a sufferer from the debilitating Lyme Disease, Tanya not only found the meter difficult to read, but the information was not easily interpreted.
From the outset Tanya wanted her invention to be easily understood by children and adults, thus encouraging everyone in the home to change their daily behaviour. Ewgeco uses a simple traffic light system whereby the display changes from green to amber to red depending on the usage of the various utilities. By simply switching off equipment that’s on standby or turning the tap off while brushing your teeth, Ewgecos lights will changes colour.
Fewer lit bars means efficient energy consumption and lower utility bills. However, Ewgeco will not only help save money, it will enable householders to monitor and reduce their carbon footprint, thus helping in the fight against global warming.
Tanya, who picked up her award just 12 days after giving birth to her first child said: “The Biggart Baillie Innovation award has given me great focus so soon after having my son Coll. I realise how special the project has become and the impact it will make to many people’s lives.”
Tanya is currently at a crucial stage of the products development. As well as taking on staff, she is negotiating with potential suppliers and expects the first version of Ewgeco to be in the shops early 2008.
|
