2026 | Student

MUSE Design Awards Silver Winner

AU-LOV

Entrant

Aalto University

Category

Conceptual Design - Furniture

Client's Name

Country / Region

Finland

AU-LOV is an inflatable therapeutic chair concept for autistic children, created to deliver a gentle “hugging feeling” while supporting self-soothing and sensory regulation. The design combines an inflatable seat cushion with a protective outer shell, aiming to preserve the comforting embrace of inflatable furniture while avoiding the “alienation” that overly shrouded forms can create.
At its core is adjustable deep-pressure support: caregivers can inflate the seat body via a bottom control to provide deep compression therapy tailored to the child’s needs and tolerance. AU-LOV also integrates music therapy through a top-mounted stereo—users can connect a phone via Bluetooth and play calming music (including different frequency profiles) to help children settle, focus, or decompress without adding external equipment.
To fit daily routines and varied comfort preferences, AU-LOV offers two seating states: it can be used as a reclined chair for reading and resting, or laid flatter as a play cradle for relaxed, secure lounging. Installation legs can be added depending on the selected mode and scene. By merging deep-pressure cushioning, multi-sensory support, and an approachable, child-friendly form, AU-LOV reframes a chair from “furniture” into a calm, adaptive micro-environment for autistic children.

Credits

Aalto University
Junyi Chen
China University of Mining and Technology
Shangsong Jiang
More Silver Winners
Transportation
2026
MUSE Design Awards Winner - Universal Bus

Entrant

Altro Ltd

Category

Transportation Design - Mass Transit Systems

Product
2026
MUSE Design Awards Winner - Interactive Scenario-Based Safety Learning Platform

Entrant

Tsinghua University

Category

Product Design - UX / UI / IxD

Interior
2026
MUSE Design Awards Winner - Boutique Orthodontic Clinic

Entrant

Kasey McCarty Interior Design

Category

Interior Design - New Category

Packaging
2026
MUSE Design Awards Winner - Reimagining an everyday ritual

Entrant

Ascendis

Category

Packaging Design - Redesign / Refresh (NEW)