Robert Soper San Jose State University Industrial Design robert.t.soper@gmail.com 661.755.1597
Table of Context Portfolio 123A
Juicer DSID 123 - Intermediate Design Hanger DSID 32 - Foundation II Glue Gun DSID 126 - Ergonomics Blender DSID 32 - Foundation II Self Checkout DSID 126 - Ergonomics Lunch Bag DSID 132 - Soft Goods Soap Mold DSID 32 - Foundation II Bike DSID 129 - Intro Solidworks Egg Drop DSID 32 - Foundation II SR-71 DSID 137 - Advanced Solidworks
Juicer
DSID 123 - Intermediate Design
Objective Design a juicer that fulfills the specific needs of the user. The design should be catered towards the persona and reflect their views and ideals. Creating strong user interactions and improving upon existing models to find a unique solution to an existing problem.
Persona & Inspiration My persona for this product is a single mom that has two kinds and wants to teach them healthier eating habits. She has worked hard to achieve a well paying job to support both her children. She picks up fresh fruits and vegetables on her way home from work for dinner and children’s lunches. She would like to spend the extra money on a nicer juicer that would allow you to make single servings to fulfill the different needs and wants of her children. The juicer would need to be safe around her children and not be very loud. She enjoys having gatherings with her children’s parents and would like this to be a nice conversation piece. For this reason the inspiration was to create a very sculptural form that has very soft an non-aggressive design. This would allow the juicer stay out on the counter and add to the overall aesthetic of the kitchen environment.
Design Direction The design direction for this juicer was very strong since the beginning. I wanted to create a juicer that would not have to be put away after every use, so to justify this it needed to serve an alternate purpose then just juicing as well as being pleasant to look at. “It does something when doing nothing.� The design needed to be a conversation piece that would look nice sitting on the counter and would really stay away from the overly aggressive aesthetics of the bulk of kitchen appliances.
Ideation My concept development for this juicer took many turns but I ultimately settled on a sculptural aesthetic with very soft contours and curves. I really wanted to stay away from the generic overly aggressive aesthetic of the bulk of kitchen appliances. Creating a seamless form that had one complete form when all of the pieces were together was also a main focus that drove the design. Ultimately I felt that the soft hour glass form was the design that best suited my persona and the specific wants and needs of that user.
The Brand Once I came across the Hurom brand, I knew right away that they were the perfect brand to implicate my design and its philosophy. Their patented auger design has revolutionized the juicing industry. Their method is a much quieter, efficient, and cleaner then its competitors. Their auger design is also a lot smaller and allows for the dimensions I needed, where as other methods would cause me to sacrifice the form. I noticed that although their juicer was radically different from others, it looked a lot like an ordinary juicer. This is why I decided that the Hurom brand could benefit from this design because it represents on the outside the differences they have implemented on the inside.
Development Once I figured out the design I wanted, it was time to make it work and create the final model. My main focus on the mock us was figuring out a way for the door to open but still create the form I wanted when it was closed. Creating the correct dimensions for the bowl to function and for the body were also factors I was experimenting with.
Final Design My final design incorporated all of the aesthetic and functional components I set out to achieve. The Hurom juicing mechanics really are what made this form possible and their brand identity also very much aligned with my needs. This juicer allows the user to leave it out on the counter and use the bowl to store fruits in. The door works off of a hinge that is first pressed in and then slowly opens to present the juice to the user. This juicer creates single servings of juice that can be put into a to-go carafe.
Switch The switch is on the back of the juicer and its form was created to be soft to the touch and work well with the overall form. The switch has three settings, forward which is pressing up, backward which is pressing down, and off which is neutral.
Bowl To juice release bowl from juicing body then take to cutting or cleaning area if needed. Then place fruit back into bowl to bring back to juicer. Reattach bowl to the juicer. Turn the switch on the back of the juicer to the On setting. Next, place hands on either side of bowl to twist slightly to the left. This will open the door within the base of bowl and allow fruit to enter the juicer.
Cleaning To clean the juicing components the middle section can be removed. To remove the user will grasp the contours of the piece and apply a slight twist to the right. Then gently lift the section from the juicing body to place into sink. From here the inner juicing components can be separated and hand washed in the sink or placed into the dishwasher.
Hanger DSID 32 - Foundation II
Objective The objective of this project was to create a hanger design that could be laser cut and folded into form with no help from anything else as well as trying to fit as many as possible on a single sheet of cardboard with as little waste as possible.
Ideation What I wanted from my hanger design was to really maximize the amount of hangers I could make while leaving little waste and having enough strength to hold a pair of pants and a shirt at the same time. The most challenging part was figuring out the clasp mechanism that would hold the hanger together.
Final Design My final design was based on a square form when it was flat that would leave little waste on the cardboard sheet. When the hanger is put together it only requires putting a single tab through the slot. This hanger has the strength to hold a pair of jeans, a jacket, and a belt at the same time.
Details All of the details that I incorporated into my design were meant to be very simple and easily understood by the user so that it required very little set up. The way that the top of the hanger comes together from the base creates a lot of the strength needed for the hanger to hold the required amount of weight.
Glue Gun DSID 126 - Ergonomics
Objective The objective of this project was to take a hand-held product that is currently on the market and identify ergonomic areas of improvement. Then create a new design that resolves this issues.
Task Analysis Starting first with looking at a task analysis of a standard glue gun to find out issues with existing designs. Some of the large issues I found was that there was no way of knowing when the glue was ready to use and it would drip on work area, the long chord that runs through your project space, the lack of a stability given by the stand, and the repetitive action required by a single figure to get enough glue.
Market Research The next step was to look into the existing market of glue guns and see how they were or were not addressing some of these problems I had found. What I found was that most of the designs were all the same and had these same problems. Task Focus
Professional
Hobbiest
Aestethic Focus
Ideation Ideation for this project really focused around the fact that my design was going to use a base to solve a lot of the problems in the current designs. The base would allow the user to have a glue gun that would not have a chord that would get in the way and would not have to move projects to be near an outlet. So my design wanted to have a base that would complement the form of the rest of the gun. I found the hexagonal form to really embody the feel that I wanted for this product because it wasn’t like many other glue guns and I wanted it to not look like any other glue gun.
Ergonomics This product’s main ergonomic focus is in the handle and the height of the gun in relation to the height of the table. One of these focuses was to take a single finger repeated action of pulling the trigger and make it a single action using four fingers. Also using the trigger and tool grip dimensions to make a comfortable grip with a 24mm thickness, 107mm length, and 45mm width. I also found that having the grip be 6in from the surface of the table was the best ergonomic height.
Final Design The final design was a glue gun that relied on a base to heat the heating element in the gun but would be completely cordless when it needed to be used. The gun has a four finger grip that uses a single action to unlock the spring loaded glue channel that guides the glue through the gun. When the gun is connected to the base they create a singular hex form that makes it easy for the user to understand how they fit together.
Details Besides the docking feature, another detail I wanted to include was a simple LED light that would glow to let you know when it was ready. It would glow red when the glue was not up to operating temperature and then change to green when it was. There is also a anti-stick area under the glue nozzle that catches and glue that may drip out of the gun when heating up.
Hand Blender DSID 32 - Foundation II
Objective The objective of this project was to find a product and create a redesigned model using the same internal components. I chose to redesign a hand blender.
Ideation The form that I really liked was one that transitioned from a very angular form to a very soft form at the handle. I also wanted the hand blender to be operational with only using one hand because the original version required your other hand to change the speed. Another feature I wanted to change were the buttons because the original ones were very small and required the user to push into the molded handle to click the buttons.
Details The main detail that I incorporated into the design was re orientating the speed control and putting it on the back where the user could easily reach with their thumb while operating. This makes it so that the user does not have to take their hand off of the container they are mixing in when changing the speed.
Final Design For my final design I wanted more of a masculine feel so I wanted the high contrast of not only the form but the colors as well. The front angled surface was also created to have a good place to place a second hand if you were doing some hardcore blending.
Self Check-Out DSID 126 - Ergonomics
Objective The objective of this project was to work together within a group to come up with a self check-out for a company that would be ergonomically designed and optimized the user experience.
Brand The company that our group chose to create a self check-out for was Jamba Juice. They would greatly benefit from having a self check-out because this would free up the employee that was normally taking orders, to now be completing orders and thus increasing efficiency. This would also decrease the amount of incorrect orders being made because of miscommunication. Jamba Juice as a company also works well with this kind of business model because they are about being a place to come and grab a healthier drink and go. Unfortunately most locations have lengthy lines and only 1 or 2 employees making the orders.
Market Research Our next step was to look into the existing forms of self check-out platforms that are currently out there. We found that most of these systems are very poorly designed and do not focus on the ability of the user to easily understand how to use them. Most of the existing models take existing technology and slap it together however they fit together easiest.
Ideation Our group wanted to focus on creating a self checkout that would fit into the existing Jamba Juice floor plans and require as minimal changes as possible when implementing them. This meant that keeping the check-out system within the same amount of space as the current register system. We also wanted the design to reflect the brand identity of Jamba Juice so we wanted to incorporate a simple organic form and some of their bright signature colors.
Final Design
Details
Our final design was a simple wedge like design that played off of the curling forms that has become part of Jamba’s signature style. The way that we figured out how to keep the self check-out system looking so small was to have all of the larger components, such as money storage, down below inside the counter space. This area would be hidden to the customer but would still be able to be serviced and accessed easily by the employees. We decided to have the majority of the form be a matte white that would look nice a top of their beautiful wood counter tops.
We used that same wood on the pieces that the user interacted with and a bright violet color for the area that the customer would receive their change. There is also a motion sensor on the very front of the self check-out that would activate the screen only when it was in use.
User Interface The portion of the self check-out that I was most responsible for was the user interface. Our stand would incorporate a large touchscreen that the user interacts with. We wanted the experience to have a nice flow to it and for the user to have access to their cart throughout the transaction to see their current total and be able to edit it from any screen.
Blend in the Good.
Drinks
Tasty Bites Your Cart
This screen here would be what a customer would see as they approach the machine and the motion sensor turns on the screen. In some field research, a self check-out clerk told me that the most common problem people had was that they did not know how to start their transaction. We did not want this to be a problem with ours, so there is a whole screen devoted to showing the user how to start and where to press.
After pressing start the graphics would pan upward and these two options would come up from the bottom. This would ring the user to the menu options of either drinks or “tasty bits� which Jamba Juice calls their food items.
Oatmeal
Tasty Bites
Blueberry
Oatmeal
Flatbreads
Baked Goods
Wraps
Coconut
Sandwhiches
Oatmeal x 1 =
Apple
$3.25
Banana
Almonds
Pineapple
Brown Sugar
Honey
Add To Cart
Your Cart
Your Cart
Oatmeal Bowl
Once selecting the desired option the icon would slide to the upper left and the next options would slide in from the right. These are the next subset of menu items that the user has to choose from. From this screen if they wanted to go back all they would have to do is touch the icon in the upper left.
Strawberry
Subtotal = $3.25
Once selecting the type of food the user wanted, the icon would once again slide up the upper right and more options would enter from the right side of the screen. This would be where the user would pick the item that they wanted. The menu items would be represented with names and pictures that they would be able to tap and then be able to customize to their liking. In this example the user has selected an oatmeal. This menu allows them to be able to add the toppings of their choice and as they do this the topics will be digitally represented on the bowl of oatmeal and the price would be updated accordingly. Then when the user is satisfied with their order they would tap the add to cart and it would pop up in their cart at the bottom of the screen. At any point tapping the cart will take the user to the payment screen in which they can pay for their items and have their order sent in.
Lunch Bag DSID 126 - Ergonomics
Objective Create a soft good that improves the health and wellness of the chosen group. This group being children in third through fifth grade. I focused on how to grow a deeper connection with the child and their lunch bag.
Persona My personas were children ranging from ages eight to eleven. These children have a close relationship with their parents and like to take part in activities together. Their parents are teaching them the importance of being mindful of what they are eating and also how to help lessen their impact on the planet. They like to play outside and do not mind getting a little dirty.
Inspiration I drew my inspiration for this product from the blooming of a flower and how the petals would fan out from the rest of the bud. This is how I wanted the doors of my bag to look when they were fully opened.
Ideation One little girl sparked the inspiration for the purpose of this bag by yelling out to us during out field research with, “I want a tree to grow out of mine!� This showed me that children have a strong interest in nature and being able to call something their own. So, I started figuring out how to make a lunch bag function as a planter. This took a lot exploration in all the possible ways that a planter could work and I really liked the slotted planters because they offered a form that would also work as a lunch bag.
Development The development of this bag took a long time to figure out because I did not want any part of the bag to go to waste or need to be changed when it was fulfilling its roll as a planter. I also had to play around with th dimensions because I realized that if the users were very earth focused they would not be buying individually packaged processed foods, but instead purchasing fresh produce and using reusable containers. This added more bulk to the design but catered to the persona perfectly.
Final Design The final design for this bag incorporates playful colors and features that allow the bag to be functional both as a planter and a lunch bag. The bag was designed to fit a sandwich container and three other containers that can be filled with their foods of choice.
Details This lunch bag has a lot of little details incorporated into it. In each of the top compartments there are drainage holes that allow spills or water to flow through to the bottom section. There are also a zipper pull tab, on each zipper of the doors, that features the brand logo and allows the user to open them with ease. The most versatile feature on this bag is the handle. This handle has been made so that the user can manually adjust the length to suite their needs.
Lunch Bag This bag starts out its life as a lunch bag that a parent would buy their child while back to school shopping one year. They see that this bag allows them to interact with their children and pack them healthy and nutritious lunches that they will love. The base of the bag perfectly fits an ice pack to keep their food cold throughout the day. The reusable containers allow the parents to save money on plastic bags and to teach their children how to do your part in preserving the health of the planet. The drainage at the bottom of the bag allow the bag to be easily washed in the sink if there are any sticky situations. The bag fulfills its duty as a lunch bag for many years until the child outgrows it or they don’t like it anymore but instead of just throwing it away they can use it for a whole other purpose.
Planter The bag can now take on its roll as a planter. This planter can be used inside on a window sill or outside in a garden. The base allows the drainage holes to allow water to flow through and not drown the plants as well as not dirtying the counter. It is also very easy to clean by just unzipping the bottom and pouring out the old water. Inside on the window sill is the perfect place and lighting to grow herbs such as sweet basil which can be used for cooking. Outside the planter can house flowers that require lots of sunlight. The strap on the bag and either be adjusted down so that it is out of the way or up so it can be hung from a tree branch or a pant hanger outside in the garden. This second life of the bag allows the child to learn how to grow something and be able to call it their own.
Soap Mold DSID 32 - Foundation II
Objective Design a hand soap for the Waldorf Astoria that can be made from a two part plaster mold. The design should reflect the brand identity of the company.
Brand The Waldorf Astoria is a famed hotel chain that is known for being very upscale and elegant. They strive to supply only the highest of luxuries within their buildings from floor to ceiling. No two hotels have the same design theme so I chose to represent the New York location, which has a very old-style roman elegance to it.
Ideation To follow the same design aesthetic as the New York location, I took inspiration from strong and bold rectilinear forms, such as gems. I wanted the guest to see the soap on the counter when they arrived to their room and feel as thought it was a piece of jewelry.
Final Design The final design incorporated strong chamfered edges that encase the Waldorf Astoria logo withing the center top facing surface. I chose to use a light opaque blue that would allow the edges to show off their contrast and ridged form. The form was accompanied by a fresh lavender scent that has a strong but calming scent.
Details The main detail of the soap that I included was a slight con-curved surface on the bottom that would allow the user to get a good grip on the soap while washing their hands or body. The size of the soap would be big enough to be used as body and not fall apart after a few uses. Creating the actual mold that would allow this form to be taken out of the mold was the hard part. I had to cast the piece at an angle that would only do three sides at a time.
Bike DSID 129 - Beginning Solidworks
Final Design The final design of my bike was supposed to seem very simple and almost as if it was mechined out of a single piece of metal. The chamfered edges esentuate the angles of all of the tubes and draws the viewer into the negative space. Having these areas also be very contrasting to the other surfaces in texture and color helps emphasize their importance.
Ideation
Details
From the begining I wanted my bike to be different but not in a way that really stood out. The way that I found I could achieve this was to create interesting tube crossections. The very rigid design that I was being drawn towards took awhile to figure out how to achieve that form in the back section of the bike.
This bike has a lot of highly detailed parts. Starting with the seat, I wanted to create a comfortable form that would would apeal to the average rider. The single angle has a strong enough degree that it fits in with the rest of the bike. The rear dropout plate is an area that most people foret about, so I wanted to reward the viewer for finding the cut out. The tire tred represnts the strong recognizable angles of the frame. Lastly, the handlebars are bullhorns because I just love the look of them.
Egg Drop DSID 32 - Foundation II
Objective Create a way of packaging an egg or a few eggs, so that they could survive a two story fall. Think of how it would look on a shelf and who would be buying it.
Brand My group really wanted to build a brand for this project and create a reason that someone would be buying a single egg. So, we created BRB Farms, which supplies only the highest quality eggs to the buyer. They are shipped in daily to the retailer and they have created a very nice case that protects the precious egg on its journey. The container represents the farm that it has come from.
Details This packaging keeps the egg protected by surrounding all sides with foam and having the egg sit in a bed of paper clippings that also help dampen the impact from the fall. The lid of the container uses four pieces of wood to slide inbetween the foam and the friction holdes the lid in place, ideally the packaging would be sealed as well to help keep the lid on.
SR-71 DSID 136 - Advanced Solidworks
Brand Green Toys is a brand that focuses heavily on the idea of free play. The way that I wanted to approach this was to create a simple yet iconic toy that could be manufactured using Green Toys recycled plastic because this is a major pillar of what their brand stands for. Incorporating the open play aspect was something that I did not want over think because part of that ideology is discovery and letting the child learn and use the toy in the way they want to.
Ideation The inspiration for thsi toy is an airplane that I myself was enamored with when i was a child, the SR71. This plane made me feel like anything was possible when I was a kid and thats the type of ideas I feel that alligned with both the Green Toys brand and what I wanted to accomplish with this project. I took this inspiration and wanted to make it more manufacture and child friendly, but still keep the cool factor of the plane.
Final Design The final design is made of two main body pieces that snap together and hold the jet engine cone and exhaust in place. The open play elements are the cockpit and the bottom wings. The cockpit could be used to put other toys the child is playing with in it and the wings encourage the child to pick it up and “make it fly!� The bright high contrast colors indecate the diferent parts and make is pop out to younger children.
Thank You! San Jose State University Industrial Design robert.t.soper@gmail.com 661.755.1597