OnCue Keyboard Wins 2025 James Dyson Award for Parkinson’s Therapy

The OnCue Keyboard, a gaming-inspired therapeutic device designed for people with Parkinson’s disease, has won the 2025 James Dyson Award in the medical category. Created by product designer Alessandra Galli, the keyboard combines inclusive design, haptic feedback, and artificial intelligence to help users type more easily, accurately, and independently.

OnCue Keyboard and the 2025 James Dyson Award

Out of more than 2,100 submissions from 28 countries, the OnCue Keyboard was selected as one of two global winners of the 2025 James Dyson Award. Each winning project receives £30,000 to support development and market readiness.

This year marks the first time both award-winning projects integrate AI, highlighting a growing shift toward intelligent, data-driven assistive technologies.

How the OnCue Keyboard Supports People with Parkinson’s

The OnCue Keyboard is designed to address tremors, freezing, and rhythm disruption associated with Parkinson’s disease. Instead of relying on a single aid, it uses multiple therapeutic cues working together:

• Haptic feedback through vibrating keys and wristbands to guide typing rhythm

• Visual cues that illuminate likely next letters

• AI prediction, similar to advanced predictive text, to anticipate user input

Together, these cues help users maintain flow and reduce frustration during typing tasks.

Gaming-Inspired Design for Accessibility

Drawing inspiration from gaming keyboards, the OnCue Keyboard features a compact, split layout that reduces strain on the hands and arms. Raised key edges improve grip and precision, while sliders allow users to adjust haptic and visual feedback based on daily symptom variation.

This adaptability reflects a core principle of inclusive design: acknowledging that accessibility needs are not fixed, but dynamic.

Beyond Parkinson’s: Expanding Assistive Technology

Alessandra Galli, a graduate of Delft University of Technology, plans to use the James Dyson Award funding to bring the OnCue Keyboard into real-world use and expand its application to other neurological conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease and dystonia.

James Dyson praised the project as “a clever and empowering solution,” emphasizing its role in supporting independence, communication, and dignity through thoughtful design.

Written by Otávio Santiago, a designer dedicated to translating ideas into visual rhythm. His work spans motion, 3D, and graphic design — connecting creativity, technology, and human emotion.