Xinyu Zheng
PORFOLIO
Name: Xinyu Zheng Nation: China Language: Chinese/English Software: Rhino, Keyshot, PS, AI, Alias, Vray Master Program: Industrial Design Engineering
Project:
Ergonomics Design for All Inspired by the ElectriCity project in Gothenburg, Sweden, which aims at developing a new generation sustainable public transport, me and some other master students in MPDES, Chalmers University of Technology (CTH), tried to seek for the potential accessibility of the future public transportation. Thus, an investigation of the Volvo electric concept bus was made to see if it can meet the needs of a even more wider range people with different physical capabilities. Besides, the project was a part of the course “Ergonomics Design for All�, CTH, including researches on physical impairments and local public transportation.
The project started with a literature study for physical impairment. We tried to categorize different types of physical impairments and to summarize the consequences they bring to help defining the demands of our design. Aging, was aslo a part of our study because we thought it usually resulted in limitiation of body movements.
Effects
Neuromuscular - MS - MD - Stroke Musculoskeletal - Parkinson disease
Consequences
- Loss of limbs Musculoskeletal - Joint movement limitation - Loss of limbs - Injuries - Joint movement limitation - Arthritis - Injuries
- Wheelchair bound - Difficulty walking - Difficulty grasping - Balance problems
- Arthritis
Aging
- Stiffness - Pain - Slowness - Lowered dexterity - Lowered strength - Paralysis or paresis - Loss of control
Tasks Mapping & Invstigation
Getting to the bus/tram stop
Finding information about the journy
Waiting for the bus/tram
Continue to destination
Get off the bus/tram Get on the bus/tram
Get up from the seat Get seated
Ride
We defined all the tasks people need to encounter for a trip by bus or tram. The highlightend tasks were the ones we thought were more critical based on our literature study. We managed to find a wheelchair in order to figure out the existing problems of these tasks by a trip by buses and trams. The investigation was conducted in concern of different categories such as lost of limbs, injuries, aging, etc. And we made sure all models in local city were investigated during the trip.
Tasks Mapping & Investigation
Get seated
Get up from the seat
We decided to narrow down our focused tasks to getting seated and getting up from the seat. Because we found out the automatic ramps on trams were quite efficient, however, they were sometimes too steep for wheelchairs because some bus stops had lower platforms than the other ones. Also, the local bus company are using Volvo buses with manul ramps when the Volvo has the models with automatic ramps. So getting on or off the bus/tram was an issue more or less beyond design itself.
The Volvo eletronic concept bus is considered as the most potential future public vechicle among us. We analysed its interior and redesigned it to meet as much as it was needed by physically impaired passengers. The crucial factor of our focused area, as we considered, was the space in the bus, which means the space should allow maximum people with different physical capabilitiies to have a comfortable and decent ride. However, there are two conflicting demands behind the concern of the space, which are sufficient resting opportunity and safety tranfer in the bus.
Space
Rest opportunity
Safety transfer
Ideation & Solution
Based on the original layout, we tried some other way and tested them with a wheelchair model in paper to see whether it can fit into the space. There are two doors next to each other in the original design. We also tried to divide them to see if they can perform better. During our investigation, we found out the accessible seats sometimes failed to help those who need them. They might be occupied by unrelevant passengers or just too far away from the entrance. So we also tried to improve their performance during our ideation.
The first thought is to create an accessible area in the front of the bus. It is not an exclusive area to others but the floor is marked out for better notification. And it is good to have a consistency to alway have the accessible area to the right of the entrance in order to help people with visual or congnitive impairment as well.
“Normal Area�
Accessible Area
Ideation & Solution
Since the wheelchair has to move backward after turning left to be in the designated area, we made sure the wheelchair area was located in the appropreiate spot to allow the wheelchair to have a smooth routine.
The accessible seats are located right next to the door with a handrail leading the way to them. So people can turn around and get seated while holding the handrail as we observed during our investigation. Also, it helps people with visual impairment to find their seats. There is more room in front of the seats where people can store their walkers right in front of their seats.
To move away the crowds from the doors, which we thought was the biggest trouble for other passengers to move around in the bus, especially for people have to use wheelchairs. We create a “Fast Area” to draw the crowds away from the entrances. The “Fast Area” provides resting opportunities without sitting down. The foldable seats between the two doors also helps to solve the problem.
Ideation & Solution
As an outcome, our concept provides 2 less seats, but 6 more stand resting positions, with a better meet for a broader range of physical capability. We seperate accessible area to make it easier to be found by those need it. We managed to move away the crowds from the entrances and the aisle. The foldable seats perform better when either it is crowded or normal situation. Besides, we marked the aisle to indicate the walking area to guarentee there is enough room for people to transfer in the bus.
Other project members: Sara Westerlund Edvin Mellerg책rd Andrea Slaattelia Mentors: Eric Ohlson Anna-Lisa Osvalder
Intelligent Planting Assistant The project, started by July, 2015, aimed to design a device helping people to grow their plant at home in China. The launcher asked me to join the project 2 months before I leave for my master program. The initial plan was to build a system where the product and an online community work together, in order to offer an easy and delightful planting experience. My job was to research user behavior, define the functions of the device, and evantually come up with the shape design of the product.
Online sales of home plants 2008-2014, China (10k CNY)
?
Conflict
Market Research
People don’t konw how to grow a plant properly
Overwhelming capability in home plant industry
Humidity The main concern when you grow a plant
Light Temperature
User Behavior Research The user beavior research was conducted in a local plant market, Beijing. We managed to find some interviewees to investigate their following behavior
Analysis & Demands definement
Ideation
The thoughts were to replicate the texture and feelings of a clay vase, which is the most common appearance while the most acceptable. The container inside should be able to easily remved. The LED lights are the indicators to tell the states of the plant. Last but not least, the wood around the base is to send the feeling of nature and traditional furnitures, thus impair the potential alienation brought by the technology elements.
Implementation
Implementation
The implementation of the design include a humidity sensor and a temperature sensor. While a inner container to carrys the earth and the plant, the outer shell supports it. The gap between the container and the shell allows the earth to “breathe�. Also, there is a container for the exceed water above the base.