We promised you results some time in November, and here we are on December 2 . . . . so, yeah. Thanks for hanging in there with us while we got our act together. The judging is complete, and the ballots have been tabulated, canvassed, hand-counted, machine-recounted, and certified under strict scrutiny. This outcome is 100% legit.
Before we get to the winners: Thanks to everybody who participated. This is Amplitude‘s first attempt at a contest, and we’re grateful that so many of you jumped in and helped make it work. And we’re eager for your feedback: If you’d like to see more of this type of thing, let us know. If you have a specific idea for the next one, don’t be shy. Send us a note.
Special thanks to Johnny Maynard of Crew9t and Joe Johnson of Quorum Prosthetics for serving as our expert judges. We weighted their votes more heavily than those of our rank-and-file judges and deferred to them on all tie-breakers.
If you need a refresher on the contest rules, you can find them here. Without further ado, our prize winners are:
3rd place ($50): Jim Heath, Golf Ball Holder
Our judging panel admired this entry on both aesthetic and functional grounds. It’s staged in a way that piques curiosity and invites inspection, while showcasing the prosthesis itself.
“I’m an avid golfer and three-year LBKA,” Heath writes. “You can see I’ve put my [old] prosthetic to great use. It adds joy to my office for all to admire, holds extra golf balls, and can also sub as a putter in a pinch.”
We’re not so sure about that last phrase, so we disclaim responsibility if—next time you’re out there playing for money—you get slapped with a one-stroke penalty for putting with your prosthesis. Our request for an official ruling is still pending with the U.S. Golf Association.
2nd place ($100): John Radoszewski, Leg Lamp
Radoszewski, a Certified Orthotist with emeritus status, submitted this entry without comment, and it really needs no explanation. Leg lamps have been in broad circulation for nearly 40 years, ever since the trope first appeared as a side plot in the nostalgic movie A Christmas Story. It’s been around for so long that a couple members of our judging panel worried that the concept has been overdone. But both of our expert judges gave this entry high marks. Not surprisingly, both are big fans of this film. “It’s a good execution of a classic concept,” one of them noted.
Interestingly enough, just two days ago the YouTube channel Midway to Main Street uploaded a 6-minute explainer video that gives the real-life backstory of the leg lamp. It’s a nifty little Americana mashup that name-checks the defunct Chicago American newspaper, the Chero-Cola and Nehi soda brands, and some other bits and pieces of Depression-era pop culture.
The leg lamp’s deep roots increase our appreciation for this entry. This isn’t merely a winking homage to a beloved holiday flick. It’s a downright piece of vernacular design.
1st place ($200): Molly Null, Hanging Planters
“Weirdly pretty and very eco-friendly,” is how one judge described this entry. “I can actually see this becoming a trend,” opined another. “Sits at the intersection of art, science, and technology,” went a third comment.
“I have been making these for about eight years,” writes Null. “I am a bilateral, multi-finger amputee from sepsis. I now work for my prosthetic company as the patient liaison, so I can get test [sockets] and used sockets whenever I need them. I make these as prizes for my support group members, friends, and neighbors. They fight over them!”
We believe you, Molly. The planters are gorgeous (see more photos below). Thanks for sharing the pixs with us, and congratulations!
