Michael Tran
Industrial Design Portfolio 2016-18
Wake up! Finder Spectacle Ear thermo Bike Hanger Egg drop Speed form
Wake up! for MUJI
A time keeping device that fits the MUJI brand, which alarms the user via a vibrating ring.
1_wake up!
Ring ring? Many college students live together in cramped areas. because of their lack of sleep, many need a very loud alarm to wake up in time for classes. These overly loud alarms often unneccessarily wake up other roommates and ruin their sleep just so one can wake up.
Hey Gabe! Gabe is a sophomore in college who dorms with four other people. He cranks his alarm all the way up to wake him up after his four hour “sleep�. He needs an alarm that will easily wake him up, but not his roommates.
1_wake up!
Gettin’ sketchy
Form exploration through paper and SketchBook Pro. Finding out what different ways I could keep track of time, and how I could make an alarm.
Inspiration I wanted to capture the warmth of a sunrise as well as the vast emptiness of a volcano crater.
1_wake up!
Mock it up Form exploration through physical models made of cardboard, yellow foam, and modulan. What form would fit MUJI? Also experimenting with different interactions. Swivel? Twist? Pull? Eventually deciding on a spinning based interaction.
Makin’ it To improve my model making skills and precision, I learned how to use the mill to make my project.
1_wake up!
Grab ring
Spin timer
Timer reaches zero
Ring vibrates
Tick tick tick
Rest
Wake up
Return ring to silence alarm
1_wake up!
(Sound) the alarm With this project, I was able to learn about true minimalism. Many “minimal” designs I have experienced do not have any unquie charateristics to define then. MUJI is one of the few brands that I’ve seen with true minimalism. I read the book “White” about the subject by the MUJI designer, Kenya Hara. Within the book, I found the beauty of simplicity and emptiness in minimal design. To reduce the clock to the simplest form would allow the user to focus more on the day ahead.
Finder A hiking stick that helps friends find each other on a hiking trail.
2_finder
Where’s Earl? Earl is about to go to a casual hike with his friends. However, he came very late and his friends went on ahead. He now has to try to follow the trail to hopefully find them. The trail has no reception so he can’t contact them to find them. The trail splits in many ways so he will have to find the correct turns to make. Animals can move any markers that his friends could leave. How could he find his friends?
2_finder
Inspiration The simple yet playful pop of Pez dispensers is very satisfying as well as familiar. Because of the long line of Pez dispensers, the interaction also gives a sense of nostalgia and fun.
Spark it up
Ideation sketches and mockups focusing on different ways to detatch trackers to attatch to a forest hiking trail. I also tried different ways of attatching the phone to the main piece. Eventually deciding on a hiking stick.
2_finder
Stick with me I chose to make the product a hiking stick out of anything else. This is because a hiking stick is one of the most common items to take to trails. Earl can also use the hiking stick to support his own movement through the forest.
2_finder
Refinement
Refining the concept of a hiking stick. I explored different kinds of hiking sticks including a large staff, baton, and a cane. Each rendition had a different form of tracker so I could find out how the interaction would be. Pop? Pump? Plunge? Pull? Each model also had a different kind of grip to explore ergonomics.
2_finder
Part of the process For this project, I made a rubber handle to hold the phone. I learned how to make a two part mold with silicone along with another polyurethane resin mold for rigid support. I am glad that I could try this new process but it is quite unforgiving. It requires alot of time and even more patience. After the experience, I’ve changed my process in that I take much more time to think out my model making steps. Rushing causes mistakes. Fixing those mistakes took longer than just being patient and doing it right the first time. This experience made me learn that rushing models can end up delaying me in the long run.
silicone
polyurethane
rubber
2_finder
Twist to adjust height
Twist to change direction to use with other hand
Pop cap to release tracker
Pepper wax coat repels animals
Picks up tracker
Flat to stop rolling
App guides user to next tracker
Vibrate once for left turn twice for right turn when trail splits
2_finder
QTY part
material name
weight(g) price(USD)
1
handle
cedar wood
90
1
1
shaft
cedar wood
408
3
6
tracker
tracker
8
25
1
grip
rubber
120
1.65
1
tip
rubber
20
0.01
1
corkscrew
PLA
10
3
Spectacles Glasses that can switch lenses for an opaque eyepatch lens, which help in preventing bullying.
3_spectacle
Research
Also known as Lazy Eye, Amblyopia is the medical term used when the vision in one of the eyes is reduced because the eye and the brain are not working together properly. The brain utilizes one eye over the other. Eyepatches primarily block light from reaching the stronger eye to train the weaker eye. They do not need to completely cover the eye. Kids are the main users of eyepatches because the eye becomes much more difficult to train after the age of fifteen. The user would have to use the patch 2-4 hours per day. Most of the time, they would use the patch at home to avoid other kids bullying them. Most of everyone who have amblyopia have glasses.
scratches eye strap scratches skin covers all light cheap
gets uncomfortable quickly adhesive sticks too much covers all light cheap
oversized only works with glasses comfortable covers most light
expensive have to change glasses comfortable can switch lenses
Hey Sam! Sam is thirteen years old and has amblyopia. She hates wearing her eyepatch during school because her classmates tease her during the two to four hours she does wear it. Her current eyepatch is very uncomfortable and constantly itches. Sam needs an eyepatch that supports her both comfortably and socially.
3_spectacle
Gettin sketchy Quick ideation sketches, along with refined digital sketches, to explore different forms of adhesive patches, and glasses.
Feel it out
Discovering ergonomics and potential interactions through acrylic and paper models. Each model was slightly adjusted more and more to fit the curvature of Sam’s head. This included their rounder sides of the head and the smaller nose bridge.
3_spectacle
The vision I decided to make glasses my final concept. I chose glasses over an eyepatch because glasses are more socially acceptable. This will make it easier for kids to not tease Sam. In turn, the concept helps with the emotional ergonomics along with physical ergonomics. Glasses are also typically more comfortable than eyepatches.
3_spectacle
pop out lens
switch out lens
QTY(ounces)
part
material
price(USD)
2
frame
acrylic
1
2
lens
eyeglass lens
100
0.75
lens
neodymium magnet
1.60
5in
0.6in
2.1in
2in
0.25in 2in
2in 5in
0.5in 5.3in
customize
Orthographic - Exploded view-BOM
3_spectacle
gettin’ sketchy form exploration through paper and sketchbook pro
Large nose pad for small nose bridge
Curved sides form around larger head
5 ° tilted to grip onto small head
Thermometer Designing a thermometer for pre-teens to use when home alone.
4_ear thermo
Home alone
Kevin is sick and alone at home. However, every ear thermometer seems intimidating to use. Kevin is scared that he might hurt himself while using the thermometer. Kevin needs a thermometer that is simple, friendly, and comfortable so he can easily figure out how to use the thermometer on his own.
4_ear thermo
Gettin’ sketchy
I sketched different ways I could make the shape of the thermometer friendlier for a twelve year old but not too child like so Kevin will feel more mature for taking care of himself.
Mock it up
Discovering ergonomic directions through various design directions to find the most comfortable shape for Kevin to use on his own with either of his hands.
Inspiration I found that shapes of the human body, such as the ear, turned out to be ergonomic in the hand.
4_ear thermo
Makin’ it
What looks more like plastic than actual plastic? I took a big risk and used thermoplastic pellets to make the final model. to mold the thermoplastic, I melted the pellets with hot water, then I wrapped it around a foam base.
4_ear thermo
Take the risk
For this project, I learned about different model making approaches by taking a risk with thermoplastic instead of traditional modulan. I also learned more about ergonomics to make the thermometer comfortable in both hands.
Bike Making a bike completely in SolidWorks and rendering in KeyShot.
5_bike
Makin’ it
To make this bike assembly, I custom made twenty unique pieces including the wheel, frame, handlebar, etc. To make the parts, I used many different features of SolidWorks including surfacing, revolves, mirrors, extrusions, cuts, threads, etc. I custom formed the frame to have a continuous curve throughout the interior. I also chose the bright green color for riders to be easily seen.
Hanger A cardboard outfit planner that simulates the human form under the clothes.
6_hanger
Gettin’ sketchy Sketching different looking mechanisms, forms, and things to hang. I started with a plethora of different directions. Eventually, I settled on a self looping hanger that can mimics the shape of a chest with the curve.
inspiration
Mock it up Learning how cardboard folds into itself and tweaking placement of holes and perforations to make sure everything locks into place
6_hanger
Fold it
Instructions for how to fold the hanger from the lasercut template.
Problem solved
I disliked the way clothes looked on a hanger whenever they were hung. With my hanger, the curves simulate a real body underneath the garments.
6_hanger
Lesson Learned For this project, I learned how to plan out and think ahead for a project with extreme accuracy. I made many mockups that did not have tabs and holes aligned. It was a process of trial and error to account for random variables in how the cardboard would fold.
Egg Drop A group project with Jacob McMullen to create packaging that can protect an egg from a fifty foot drop while still fitting the “Justin’s Nut Butter” brand language.
7_egg drop
Gettin’ sketchy
Force = Mass times Acceleration. Decreasing acceleration would mean decreasing force. I sketched with Jacob to discover different forms that could increase impact time (to slow down the egg midair). We also explored different ways to soften the impact to increase impact time.
Mock it up
Exploring different ways of fitting the egg and effective ways of protecting the egg from impact.
Inspiration Jacob and I really liked how the packaging for these nuts were clear and honest both literally and symbolically.
7_egg drop
Sponge and cotton elude to fried egg
Paper shreds elude to nest
Signature note from Justin displaying his personality
Speedform Casting and molding a plaster speed form from a chavant clay buck.
8_speed form
Gettin’ sketchy
Form exploration through sketching in whether it should be fast or slow, slender or wide, etc.
Mock it up
Experimenting different aesthetic directions with clay and yellow foam models.
Inspiration I wanted to capture the fast aggression of the drill but directly contrast it with the slow relaxing speed of a leaf.
8_speed form
Makin’ it
I learned how to cast and mold with plaster as well as learn how to mold chavant clay.
Bonus! More projects that I’ve done on my own personal time.
9_shoe design
Shoe sketches Indulging in my passion for shoes for my daily sketch practice.
7_longboards
Transparent longboards Designing graphics to be hand painted and stained onto skateboards and longboards.
8_t shirts
Honest Fashion
Learning to sew by creating a denim jacket with transparent acrylic detailing. Details the shirt underneath as well as makes the user’s belongings and intentions transparent.
Thanks for reading!