TU Dublin Student Reaches Final of Prestigious Design Innovation in Plastics Competition
TU Dublin is delighted to congratulate third-year Product Design student Krzysztof Boroniec, who has reached the final round of the esteemed Design Innovation in Plastics (DIP) 2025 competition, earning praise from a panel of top industry judges for his innovative concept, Nibbliee.
DIP, the longest-running plastics design competition for undergraduates in the UK and Ireland, challenges students to create inventive, sustainable solutions using plastics. This year’s theme, “Health and Wellbeing – a product for the self-care agenda,” inspired six finalists, including Kris, to present their prototypes during the final judging session on Friday, May 9.
Kris’s product, Nibbliee, is a unique input chewing device that converts chewing motion into digital signals—designed to support users in exercising their chewing muscles in an engaging, game-like environment. His presentation impressed the judges with its clear user focus, thoughtful material selection, and attention to sustainability, manufacturing, and cost.
“All our finalists had improved their products significantly since the preliminary judging round in April,” said Richard Brown, Chairman of Judges. “Kris and the other students clearly benefited from the training course at Sumitomo Demag, refining their designs and manufacturing approaches. We believe several of these projects, including Kris’s, have real commercial potential.”
Commenting on Kri’s success, Dr Colm O'Kane, Chair of TU Dublin’s Product Design course, said, “This achievement is a strong example of how TU Dublin students are engaging directly with industry, gaining invaluable experience, developing practical solutions to real-world challenges, and showcasing their talent to leading professionals in the design and manufacturing sectors. Opportunities like DIP help bridge the gap between academic learning and industry application, empowering students to turn ideas into impact.”
The final results will be announced at the DIP award ceremony on Friday, 20 June at IOM3’s headquarters in London.
Congratulations to Kris on representing TU Dublin at this prestigious competition, we look forward to the awards in June!