Ross Atkin
@rossatkin.bsky.social
Designer & Engineer trying to make technology work better for disabled people and cities work better for everyone. Ex BBC2 #BigLifeFix, Dyson, RCA Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design . Also make robots as The Crafty Robot
…as well as the introduction of 60mm kerbs where there would have been an undeliniated level surface here. AND the increase in spacing between the security bollards from 1.1 to 1.4m to better accommodate wider mobility aids, in particular adapted cycles
September 29, 2025 at 12:27 PM
…as well as the introduction of 60mm kerbs where there would have been an undeliniated level surface here. AND the increase in spacing between the security bollards from 1.1 to 1.4m to better accommodate wider mobility aids, in particular adapted cycles
The three key changes they highlighted, which they wouldn’t have done if they hadn’t been using the tool, were the full tactile delineation of this level surface (necessary because of the Lord Mayor’s Show) with Blister and Corduroy paving
September 29, 2025 at 12:27 PM
The three key changes they highlighted, which they wouldn’t have done if they hadn’t been using the tool, were the full tactile delineation of this level surface (necessary because of the Lord Mayor’s Show) with Blister and Corduroy paving
The second (and final) of these free training sessions on our street accessibility tool is tomorrow. The first went really well and it was great to hear from City of London officers how its use changed aspects of Bank Junction. Details in the thread if you want to come along👇
September 29, 2025 at 6:14 AM
The second (and final) of these free training sessions on our street accessibility tool is tomorrow. The first went really well and it was great to hear from City of London officers how its use changed aspects of Bank Junction. Details in the thread if you want to come along👇
It’s built on top of the City of London Street Accessibility Tool (CoLSAT - which has been in use by CoL and others since 2021) and uses all the data and insight we gathered for that, but we’ve done 64 more interviews and added more features to better represent streets outside CoL.
September 17, 2025 at 2:53 PM
It’s built on top of the City of London Street Accessibility Tool (CoLSAT - which has been in use by CoL and others since 2021) and uses all the data and insight we gathered for that, but we’ve done 64 more interviews and added more features to better represent streets outside CoL.
Making tactile models of various street design features @johnstreetdales.bsky.social, a collage of his and I found around the UK to use in interviews with disabled people. Here’s all the mini tactile paving!
June 5, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Making tactile models of various street design features @johnstreetdales.bsky.social, a collage of his and I found around the UK to use in interviews with disabled people. Here’s all the mini tactile paving!
@garius.bsky.social The 4yo and I made a little knight out of Fimo and he came out looking remarkably like you
January 25, 2025 at 8:42 PM
@garius.bsky.social The 4yo and I made a little knight out of Fimo and he came out looking remarkably like you
It’s awesome Robin!
December 6, 2024 at 5:44 PM
It’s awesome Robin!
First new elf of the season
December 1, 2024 at 10:31 AM
First new elf of the season
The problem is lack of chargers which drives up the weight, size and cost of EVs. Needs proper planning as transport infra (obvs not at the cost of public transport or active travel).
Electric Japanese Kei cars are coming though! (But I assume won’t be officially sold here because of safety regs)
Electric Japanese Kei cars are coming though! (But I assume won’t be officially sold here because of safety regs)
November 21, 2024 at 3:25 AM
The problem is lack of chargers which drives up the weight, size and cost of EVs. Needs proper planning as transport infra (obvs not at the cost of public transport or active travel).
Electric Japanese Kei cars are coming though! (But I assume won’t be officially sold here because of safety regs)
Electric Japanese Kei cars are coming though! (But I assume won’t be officially sold here because of safety regs)
I made a lot of whatever these* are to go in party bags for the 4yo’s birthday.
*Designed iteratively over the last few months with both kids on paper and in Fimo because none of us can draw horses.
*Designed iteratively over the last few months with both kids on paper and in Fimo because none of us can draw horses.
October 6, 2024 at 7:27 AM
I made a lot of whatever these* are to go in party bags for the 4yo’s birthday.
*Designed iteratively over the last few months with both kids on paper and in Fimo because none of us can draw horses.
*Designed iteratively over the last few months with both kids on paper and in Fimo because none of us can draw horses.
Some people have left their buildings and there are some really beautiful ones, but lots do seem to have taken them home. I was pleasantly surprised that ours survived a trip across London in a backpack.
August 22, 2024 at 3:28 PM
Some people have left their buildings and there are some really beautiful ones, but lots do seem to have taken them home. I was pleasantly surprised that ours survived a trip across London in a backpack.
When we went yesterday the activity was running out in garden in the middle of the museum which was really nice. If it’s not there it’s running in the Digital Studio in the Learning Centre.
August 22, 2024 at 3:26 PM
When we went yesterday the activity was running out in garden in the middle of the museum which was really nice. If it’s not there it’s running in the Digital Studio in the Learning Centre.
The building goes under a heat lamp. The figure starts off in the open (either on top or or next to the building) and heats up and then gets into the shade of the building and into the airflow from some little fans I made. Kids get to see how their building keeps the figure cool.
August 22, 2024 at 3:24 PM
The building goes under a heat lamp. The figure starts off in the open (either on top or or next to the building) and heats up and then gets into the shade of the building and into the airflow from some little fans I made. Kids get to see how their building keeps the figure cool.
Once the building is complete it's time to see how it helps keep its occupant cool. The occupants are little figures I 3D printed that hold a BBC micro:bit and battery box. These are programmed to show temperature and make a happy sound when <27 and a sad one >30
August 22, 2024 at 3:24 PM
Once the building is complete it's time to see how it helps keep its occupant cool. The occupants are little figures I 3D printed that hold a BBC micro:bit and battery box. These are programmed to show temperature and make a happy sound when <27 and a sad one >30
Next it's time to decorate the walls with colour patterns and/or murals. After that each wall piece gets folded to form one corner of the building. Then the corners get stapled to the pieces of corrugated cardboard holding it all together and forming shade-creating eaves.
August 22, 2024 at 3:23 PM
Next it's time to decorate the walls with colour patterns and/or murals. After that each wall piece gets folded to form one corner of the building. Then the corners get stapled to the pieces of corrugated cardboard holding it all together and forming shade-creating eaves.
The first step is choosing the walls. I designed 12 different modules based on patterns from the exhibition which we had laser cut from white card. Each participant gets to choose four of these and also gets two squares of corrugated cardboard to make the floor and roof.
August 22, 2024 at 3:20 PM
The first step is choosing the walls. I designed 12 different modules based on patterns from the exhibition which we had laser cut from white card. Each participant gets to choose four of these and also gets two squares of corrugated cardboard to make the floor and roof.
I was really struck by all of the amazing geometric patterns in the walls of the buildings, and became particularly fixated on this drawing by one of the architects featured, which really beautifully explains why they were built like that.
August 22, 2024 at 3:19 PM
I was really struck by all of the amazing geometric patterns in the walls of the buildings, and became particularly fixated on this drawing by one of the architects featured, which really beautifully explains why they were built like that.
The exhibition (until 22/9) is about the architecture that emerged predominantly in West Africa and South Asia in the middle of the C20th, which sought to keep people cool in hot, humid conditions by restricting how much sunlight entered buildings whilst allowing lots of airflow
August 22, 2024 at 3:17 PM
The exhibition (until 22/9) is about the architecture that emerged predominantly in West Africa and South Asia in the middle of the C20th, which sought to keep people cool in hot, humid conditions by restricting how much sunlight entered buildings whilst allowing lots of airflow
The lovely folks at the V&A Museum asked me to design an activity for kids (and their parents) that tied in with their 'Tropical Modernism' exhibition and had a digital component. It's running every Wed/Thur/Fri in the main museum. I went to do it yesterday with the 6yo and 3yo 🧵
August 22, 2024 at 3:16 PM
The lovely folks at the V&A Museum asked me to design an activity for kids (and their parents) that tied in with their 'Tropical Modernism' exhibition and had a digital component. It's running every Wed/Thur/Fri in the main museum. I went to do it yesterday with the 6yo and 3yo 🧵