MICHELLE KOH
2016-2017
CONTENTS 01 lantern 02 flatware set 03 candy dispenser
FOCUS+ Duration: 4 weeks
People with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and/or other related disorders often need reminders to stay on a specific task or follow a general schedule. FOCUS+ aims to address this.
Research & Insights
Scholarly Articles
Interviews
Observation
I researched ADHD and related disorders through journals including Journal of Learning Disabilities.
I interviewed three people with ADHD and co-morbid disorders including anxiety.
After the interviews, I observed one of the interviewees’ interaction with light for a day.
Reminders throughout the day indicating time are helpful for adhering to a schedule.
A light that is neither too bright nor so dim that vision is obscructed is preferable.
Light-up indicators can be a cause of further distraction when performing tasks.
Moodboard Through this moodboard, I tried to convey a peaceful, balanced, utopian world.
Brainstorming
Prototyping
Model Making
Materials used: Poplar wood, epoxy, and acrylic (not pictured).
FOCUS+
FOCUS+
FOCUS+ is equipped with a battery-powered LED Bluetooth bulb that can be programmed with an app to begin and end the day at desired times. To turn the light on, simply raise the handle. Once the handle is extended, it locks into place and can be used as a lantern or kept stationary on a desk or other surface. The handle can be lowered to turn the light off.
FOCUS+
FOCUS+ changes colors throughout the day to indicate the passage of time and remind users to perform activities such as getting ready for bed. The color begins in the morning as a cool pink and progressively becomes red.
FOCUS+
Triad Duration: 3 weeks
In this project, we focused on improving an age-old implement that has remained more or less the same throughout the centuries.
Inspiration We scoured the Internet for flatware sets we liked. Two keywords often came up in our inspiration process: modern and minimal.
Desired Characteristics
Portability Compact, modular designs allow for easy storage and portability.
Geometry We admired simple, geometric designs and clean lines.
Sustainability By using clean lines and straight cuts, less material is wasted.
Proportions and Exploration
Process
Materials used: Jatoba wood and wood glue
Product in use
Triad
Frankenstein’s Despair Duration: 4 weeks
In Frankenstein’s Despair, I think beyond the classic gumball machine and PEZ dispenser to create a new design made for children and adults who are young at heart.
Inspiration I wanted a form that was fun with an absurd humor, so I found novelty items as well as children’s toys that reflected that.
Existing candy dispensers
Tacky lawn ornaments
Kitsch items
Brainstorming
Sketches
Model Process
Materials used: polyurethane foam, jatoba wood (for ears), iron bolts, Bondo, and spraypaint.
Mechanism
SKETCH
TRIAL VERSION
FINAL
Usage
By pulling the wooden tab to compress the spring, an opening is created at the bottom of a container to release the candy. When released, the spring closes the opening.
Michelle Koh Thank You
Education
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign BFA Industrial Design, August 2016-Expected May 2019 College of Lake County Non-Degree, August 2014-July 2016
Skills Activities
InDesign Photoshop Illustrator
Fusion 360 Sketching Model Making Collaboration Solidworks Figure Drawing
Industrial Designers Society of America, UIUC Chapter Secretary, Fall 2016-Present Member, Fall 2016-Present