KATIE COX INDUSTRIAL DESIGN PORTFOLIO
1310 2nd Street, Radford, VA 24141 id.katiecox@gmail.com
KAI FOR SMART RECREATION Design a connected consumer product that connects with another device or streams data to a platform that can be used to gain insight, take action, or manipulate something (i.e. a connected device) in a positive way. 7 week project Sponsored by Autodesk
Connected Future Innovation Challenge Finalist
Paddlesports are the fastest growing segment of recreational boating. Kayaking is the paddlesport with the greatest growth. (US Coast Guard)
2006
19 million paddlesport participants
6 million kayakers
2013
27.7 million paddlesport participants
13 million kayakers
problem Inexperienced + Ill-Equipped Users
The greatest primary contributing factors to kayak accidents include hazardous waters, improper loading, operator inexperience,
and improper lookout.
While the USCG recommends the use of VHF radios, there is no requirement for paddle vessels
to carry any means of safety communication or to register with the
Coast Guard.
Mission
number of novice participants has increased, the number of accidents and deaths have increased. Between 2004 As
the
to 2014 kayak related accidents and deaths rose by 12%.
Create a handheld communication and navigation device for kayakers. Combine VHF radio and GPS navigation to create a smart network of small water craft users. Track, plot, and receive recommend courses. Receive weather and other context based alerts. Update look of communication and safety related device.
Existing Products
Used by larger boats
Expensive, black box
Handheld WATERPROOF vhf radios
Handheld GPS + ROUTE plotters
Complex location devices
impractical for small vessels
Not fully waterproof
difficult to read screens
Buttons difficult for gloved hands
unchanged + unimproved
DATED LOOK
Many not truly waterproof
waterproof shell
grip texture/patterns
IDEATION Sketching
If casing breaches or is dropped and damaged, it is difficult to replace. Taking a cue from GoPro, this device will have an outer casing to ensure water proofing and
provide buoyancy.
ruggid, sporty aesthetic
IDEATION Sketch Refinement
KAI C O M M + N AV
context based: way points, depth, popular views/ locations
inclement weather and routes back to shore
proximity or traffic alerts in high traffic areas
1
3
1. Kai lives inside a waterproof case. The case is sealed when a continuous ridge compresses the orange ring around the cover by tightening the screws down on all sides. 2. Power, talk + volume only exterior buttons.
3. Pressure sensitive screen can be used through the case cover with gloves.
4. Kai is unique in that he contains both the capability of a VHF radio and a navigational GPS. The antenna is hidden in the device casing like most cell phones. 5. Kai has induction charging technology, so you don’t have to remove the case for every recharge. When he is out of his case, plug him in to download way points or switch map cards.
2
4
5
KAI For Smart Recreation
top- talk bottom- volume
waterproof seal on buoyant case
speaker + mic
power button
speak-through + hear-through cover
case screws
Top: Kai comes with a mount for your kayak. Just place the device in and two magnetic protrusions snap into channels in the bottom of Kai’s waterproof case. This channel can also be used to attach a wrist strap. Bottom left: Suction cup under flexible mount housing. Bottom right: To attach- place and hold mount on surface of vessel, push down aluminum tab to engage suction cup.
FORM STUDY: ROTO-VESSEL CHALLENGE: Design and make a vessel for storing dry goods. Determine function and context of vessel. Sketch and prototype concepts using rotoform and identify proper scale. Fabricate concept with best suited material. Consider: core, axis, intersection contain, carry, dispense. 2 week project
Process Ideation Sketches + Slip Casting
A sketch exploration of rotational forms helped determine proportion and scale. My chosen vessel concept had a substantial had to construct
undercut, which meant I
a two-part mold to successfully slip cast a repeatable form. This early study gave me a basic understanding of the processes and tools required to mass produce products.
ELLO
CARRIER FOR LITTLE ONES CHALLENGE: Design a piece of safety equipment or outdoor equipment with a focus on soft goods. Specify user and context. Research market trends and identify design opportunity(s). Sketch concepts and refine an idea. Create models or prototypes. 7 week project
Pre-term infants or low birth-weight babies are less often designed for because they have more medical needs. When researching carriers I only found one that specified it was designed for preemies and it was incredibly expensive. While the baby product market is saturated, most wearable carriers are designed for infants 4 months old to toddler age.
HMA RKIN G RESE ARC H | PRO DUC T BENC
HIGH PRICE
The Weego Preemie Carrier
ally is the only carrier I found specific designed for preemies. It is in generally used by care partners the NICU, it is >$!40, aesthetically, it could look more protective and stylish, and could be easier to adjust.
RESEARC H | EARLY CHILD DEVELOP MENT
6 MONTH 1 YEAR OLD
PRE-TERM/LBW/ NEWBORN
OPPORTUNITY Pre-Term or Low Birth-Weight Infants
Infant 0-4 months
Infant 4-6 months
Infant 6-8 months
Infant 9-11 months
Infant 12-15 months
Weight range: <2-5 lbs - health complications - requires assistance controlling body temp. + breathing - fragile airways - kangaroo care good for development
Weight range: 5-10 lbs - fetal tuck - canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t support head
Avg. weight: 14 lbs - tummy time encouraged - can lift and turn head - still needs some support
Avg. weight: 17 lbs - can support head and look around - desire to be stimulated visually
Avg. weight: 20 lbs - standing with support
Avg. weight: 22 lbs - standing alone and walking
RESEARCH | MARKET COMPARISON LOW PRICE Boba Baby wrap
Baby Kâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;tan
- 95% cotton, 5% spandex - front and infant holds - no newborn insert needed
- 100% cotton
Infantino Mei Tai
Tula Ergonomic
Pognae
Ergo Baby
- 100% cotton
- 100% cotton
100% cotton
- 2 holds - birth to toddler
- 2 holds - newborn needs insert
- 4 holds - newborn needs insert
- seated position
- 8-36 lb range - wide straps
- ergonomic m-position seat - hip belt and shoulder straps expand - 15-45 lb range - padded straps
- basic lumbar support - removable hood
- basic lumbar - removable hood
- frog-leg seated position - hip belt + shoulder straps - 7-33 lb range - fully padded shoulder straps + belt - basic lumbar
OPPORTUNITY
- 6 holds - no newborn insert needed
- easy for nursing - no buckles, wrapping required - 7-35 lb range - no padding
- ready to wear, no wrapping - 5-35 lb range - no padding
- no lumbar
- no lumbar
$37.95
$49.59
- 3 holds - no newborn insert needed - natural sitting position - buckle-free wrap
$25.95
$149.00
- hip belt, chest and shoulder straps - 7-45 lb range - moldable shoulder straps, mesh lining - basic lumbar - stow-away hood - mesh cooling panel - attachable head support $90.00
- attachable head +neck support $159.99
Wearable baby carrier for new mothers and fathers with pre-term or low birth weight babies who have left the NICU and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need extra medical equipment.
DESIRES: Mothers of Preemies
hands free
INSIGHTS: RN + NICU Parent Educator
warm
shirt-like
washable
soft fabric
snaps + fasteners
no slouch
support head
weight distributed
economic
support bottom
reclined angle
adjustable
huggable
open at top
visual of baby
IDEATION Sketching
add 1/4 offset to seam
add 1/4 offset m
to sea
top give green 1/4 in offset top give green 1/4 in offset
right right
bottom give green 1/4 in offset bottom give green 1/4 in offset
left left
top give green 1/4 in offset top give green 1/4 in offset
PROCESS
Top: Preliminary tissue paper pattern was photographed from above to pull into Illustrator. Bottom left: Weighted baby doll representative of the size of a premature infant. Bottom right: Paper model iteration on female sewing form. Next page: Process of tracing, cutting, and assembling pattern pieces.
ELLO Carrier for Little Ones 1
2
3
4
5
6
1. hold carrier with infant head support facing you
2. place straps around arm and head
3. tighten waist belt with rings on left side
4. adjust shoulder straps and carrier height by pulling back strap down
5. un-clip top of carrier and place infant in pod
6. pull baby closer by adjusting elastic bands
FORM STUDY: Platter CHALLENGE: Design and build a platter for serving, offering, and containing. Determine context and consider fluid transition, contrast, contain, volume, offer, serve. 2 week project
inspiration FORM
Nearby Blue Ridge Mountains and valleys a
c
a Nir Meiri plates
d
d
b Threshold serving tray c Martin Zampach glass plate d DMK Book Edges sushi plates
b
e
e VIDĂ&#x201C; NĂ&#x201C;RI concrete tableware
ideation Sketching
An exploration of irregularly shaped and tectonic planar spaces, inspired by the rugged, sloping geography of my local area in the New River Valley, led to visually engaging and dynamic forms, as well as unique connections between the platter and the surface it sits on.
CLARK SFCS SENIOR LIVING STUDIO CHALLENGE: SFCS, a local architecture firm, approached third year VTID students with this prompt. Consider the needs of senior couples/individuals and their desire for â&#x20AC;&#x153;aging in placeâ&#x20AC;?. How can senior independence be enhanced while living in smaller spaces? Explore the application of affordable design products, elements, services. 15 week project Partners: Matthew Cox + Ari Horowitz
SFCS Sponsored Studio for Senior Living Award
Needfinding + Problem Identification
Mobility was mentioned most often as being a crucial factor of independence. Specific pain-point in the home: sitting and standing.
SIGNIFICANCE
FACTORS OF INDEPENDENCE
emotional health
community
physical health
mobility
communication
“Couches sink in too much
and are impossible to get out of. I need something more supportive and
firm. “
bservation:
Lift Chair O
ey This is Audr
lift chair, yet she owns a use the lift she doesn’t brings you function that position. to a standing this chair still, owning surance gives her reas uses the lift despite if she or not.
assistive uses another tain device to main cane is balance. her used when commonly to the lift transferring chair.
“Arms
on a chair are important to
for uses arm rest she has to reassurance. before she be lined up the chair. “falls” into
chair’s cares about . in the room placement s space it take how much nt. she also up is importa d have coul wishes she . back the in ort more supp
me. I’ll use them to help
Research shows that long periods of physical inactivity raise your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and obesity. (CDC)
movable she if arms were slide from could easily the next. one chair to
guide me
rest for uses her arm ause she balance. bec functioning only has one is pushed ht leg, her weig armrest. it through this le. stab must be
where I sit.”
“When something restricts my activity, my whole body suffers. And if I stop moving, even for a short period of time, it’s difficult
Many adults aged 65 and over spend on average 10 hours or more each day sitting or lying down. (CDC)
to get moving again.”
INTERVIEWS
PHOTO ETHNOGRAPHY
STATISTICS
RESEARCH Survey of Current Solutions
objective
Create a seating solution that instills dignity, provides support, is familiar, and is aesthetically tied to the home.
early Ideation
Initial concept exploration focused on forms that could enable a change in position after the user exerts an amount of directional force.
Compression Spring- used in situations where the force is acting to compress (squash) the spring.
Tension Spring- used where the force is acting to extend (stretch) the spring.
Torsion Spring- rotates around an axis to create force. They release their force in an arc around the axis.
models
Top row: Low fidelity study model made from existing chairs, twine, and a broomstick. This model helped the group to discover how a userâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s center of gravity moving over a pivot point affects seat angles. Bottom row: Spring research and a quick test model made from cut plywood and a desk chair chassis.
Adjustable Usability Prototype
This prototype allowed the team to study and determine appropriate human factors for our assistive chair. The team could adjust seat height and angle, position of the rotational axis under the seat, arm rest height and angle, and â&#x20AC;&#x153;springinessâ&#x20AC;? of the seat.
refinement Sketches
Aesthetics were inspired by the familiar forms of mid-century Danish furniture pieces.
Clark Your Secret Super Friend
a Sliding collar and
track allow the back and the bottom of the seat to move up and down in tandem. When resting, the seat is up to receive the user.
h
d
b Adjustment wheel
allows user to change the force of the gas spring, which makes it easy to accommodate changes in weight.
f
c
loads energy into spring while sitting. Releases loaded energy, to help user stand, when user leans forward. Bouncing promotes active sitting.
the front are at an accessible height. Lessens bending and searching for stable place to grab on to.
g
b
c Gas spring- user
d Raised armrests in
e
a
e Angled arm rests
cause the user to tilt forward while standing, effectively rolling the user out of the chair.
f
Contoured seat cradles user to instill security and comfort. Raised seat reduces or removes the feeling of falling when beginning to sit.
g Point at which seat pivots.
h
Visually, the solution reassures the user of its sturdiness without being too bulky. Aesthetically, the solution is well designed and fits well in a home environment.
Clark Proof of Concept Model
Modeled by Ari Horowitz, rendered by Katie Simmons