INtoto | Ricardo Lujan Peschard
Furniture in the line of inclusion
INtoto is a line of home furniture inspired by the people who have been recently diagnosed with a disability. With the uncertainty of what the future means, the furniture is designed to empower, normalize and break stigmas of their new lifestyle.
This project was awarded The Wood Co-Op/Forestry Innovation Investment in Wood Design Industrial Design Graduation Award
Collaborator
Barbara is a young professional who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in April 2019. Since then her lifestyle changed in a drastic way, the everyday tasks became more challenging. Her main symptoms back then were spasm, low energy, difficulty walking at times, standing up from soft surfaces, limited strength.
As time passes by she adapts better and is able to do all sorts of activities thanks to the treatment, but where she has been struggling the most is about the stigma. Having to use medical devices such as, shower bench, outdoor and indoor walker and sometimes having to use a wheelchair.
This fact has affected her self esteem, as she needs to use these not very attractive medical devices in public. Once at home this does not change much, couches are challenging to get out from, other seating surfaces tend to be low or do not feel safe.
One of the things she noticed is the convenience of being able to adapt the height of her seat on the shower bench which was a one time setup until she needs to re adjust it and the height of the walker.
This is where I found my space of opportunity, to design furniture that can adapt to the needs of Barbara.
Designing for the dinning area
I decided to design for the dinning room as this area lets Barbara use the area with ease, it can be used to do work, eat, have friends over and also this pieces of furniture can be used in other areas of the house. The design provides versatility and a vernacular aesthetic to step away from the medical device feeling.
Materials
Hard Maple
Hard-wearing heavy wood commonly used in furniture. The heartwood is a light reddish brown while the sapwood is often whiter.
Aluminium
Light weight and corrosion resistant metal often used due to its strength on certain alloys, recyclable.
How it works
Inspired by other medical devices such as crutches, shower benches and walkers, the legs of the furniture provide the ability to adjust the height in a familiar way as the devices mentioned before.
The holes on the aluminum part provide increases of half an inch, to secure the desired position a clevis pin is used on each leg. Shown in the picture on the right.
Om for Home | Moni El Batrik
Currently, Moni is further developing the Om for home product and a community sculpture version.
Your curiosity and connection is always welcome.
www.monielbatrik.com
Chew | Yimeng Liu & Shiyu Liu
a speculative dining scenario
CHEWrevealing the hidden aspects of food
Creating a dining experience that stretches our imaginations around the dialogue of reflective eating. It will be situated in a restaurant setting that houses a set of furniture and implements. Through the unique, playful dining experience, our goal is to reveal aspects of food that are unknown, neglected, or missed where participant interactions are needed to complete the design.
Yimeng (Maggie) Liu
I am curious about the construction of our world and looking at food both as a topic and as a material to design with. I want to use design's storytelling capabilities to create thought-provoking work that support the imagining of possible realities.
Shiyu (Rain) Liu
To me, design is a narrative practice. Using visualization and materialization I wish to present not only the end result but everything else that is involved in the design process.
aCUE - A Wearable Discomfort Reliever | Ryan Lan
Getting massage during long-distance travels with the tap of a finger
Ever experienced a long haul flight? A long-distance road trip? Or a whole afternoon sitting in front of a desk? Stuck in the same posture, limited personal space, and reduced blood flow affects your emotion and ruins your day or trip. Even worse, the discomfort may lead to a stiff neck and shoulder soreness that critically impacts one’s health. But how does one gain blood circulation and alleviates his or her pain in a confined space without disturbing others?
aCUE is a wearable massaging device designed to relieve the upper back pain, shoulder soreness, and neck discomfort for travellers and commuters. The device gives one a neck and shoulder rub in an elegant style without the trouble of interrupting others. Traditionally massaging tools such as massaging guns, pressure rollers, and GuaSha sticks are known to be conspicuous and unsuitable to operate in public space as they attract crowds’ unnecessary attention. Other existed wearable massagers operated with electric pulses are often lacked physical pressuring and have limited effect. Unlike conventional massaging tools, aCUE challenges the experience with automated and mimicked realistic pressuring movements delivered in a wearable and compact fashion.
aCUE features two high torque motors powering skin-safe silicone massaging bits that resemble human thumbs. They stimulate the small intestine meridian acupoints to alleviate body pain by increasing blood circulation and the flow of Qi. aCUE also comes with built-in heaters on two sides that provide temperature up to 50 degrees celsius around your neck to keep you warm and cozy in an air cabin.
Take a look at the video below to get a better understanding of aCUE
Development
This design consists of background research in Traditional Chinese acupressure therapies and the benefits in long term remedy of acupoints stimulation. The prototyping process examined various materials and fabrication processes including styrofoam, model plywood, birch, and 3D printing.
The project includes iterative phases on user-engagement of different forms, the experiments in different materials, and the Arduino computer coding for generating different operating modes.
aCUE is an aesthetic based product that improves user experience on traditional massaging equipment and makes self-care accessible to travellers.
Receive a shoulder rub without making huge gestures within a limited space inside of a vehicle.
No disturbance just satisfaction.
One fits more
aCUE uses an adjustable neckband to accommodate different body types. The neckband is made out of PETG that allows strong flexibility and durability under pressure. Simply put it on one’s neck and pull the two sides to adjust neckbands. Once the massage bits pressure against the acupoints between neck and shoulders, then press the vibrant coloured button to power on and the monotoned button to switch between modes.
Attractive LEDs that welcome you aboard
On the top surface of the right side are two LED indicators that allow one to easily figure out between warming and massaging operating modes.
The Type-C USB charging port is located on the tip of the left side which makes it possible to charge and use it at the same time. The two LEDs on the left side will warn the user when the battery runs out.
Keeping the interface simple
Only keeping the essentials. The two-button design made the body of the device simple and aesthetically pleasing. The vibrant coloured power button contrasts with the monotone operating button that invites one to try and experience the massager.
Ryan Lan
Ryan Hsia Lan is a designer and a maker. His work situates within a range of industrial design, everyday objects, furniture, and digital fabrication.
As an industrial designer, he dedicates in finding a balance between forms and functions. His practice focuses on discovering the deeper needs and using design tools as the medium to deliver hidden opportunities within products.
Flowtopia | Helen Hai
F L O W T O P I A.
A handheld meditation and relaxation aid for pre-bedtime that invites the user to focus his/her breathing on gentle waves of
inflation and deflation in the palm of their hand to adjust their breathing with selected rhythm to achieve a good night’s rest.
Wants to Change
‘‘I sleep with my cell phone under my pillow or some-times next to my face with the ringer on...I know it’s bad, I want to change, but it’s hard, it’s like a vicious cycle” Age 28
Overthinking
“I use the app Headspace for sleep meditation, it does help me to fall asleep faster, but I found the audio instruction can be disturbing sometimes that can make me think too much.” Age25
What is your Pre-bed Routine?
More than 60 percent of adults say their sleep needs are not being fully met during the week.
Phone User
“It just became my sleeping routine to use a smartphone over an hour before bed every night, and it gets me anxious...’’ Age23
Hard to stay focused
“ Sometimes I spend a few moments to reflect on my day and prepare it for this processing of sleep, but I get distracted easily, It's hard to stay focused’’ Age33
‘Breathe’ + ‘Sleep'
= Flowtopia.
We spend approximately a third of our lives sleeping. Sleep is critical to our health. Unfortunately, research indicates that more than 60% of adults’ sleep needs are not being fully met. Being personally subject to the effects of sleep deprivation, I found that, Often, the key to a restful night’s sleep is breathing consciously. The focus on inhalation and exhalation centers us in the present moment and keeps us away from distractions. Rather than reaching for addictive medication, breathing is a much more effective and proven method to naturally induce sleep.
‘‘Holding Action’’
Holding something to sleep has been ingrained into us during childhood. Parents often introduce teddy bears or blankets to babies as a way of transitioning them into being alone at night that makes a child feel they are still safe with their parent. Therefore, by holding an object can remind us of the sensation of being soothed.
Product Video
Core Value
Completing a sleep preparation with the assistance of the Flowtopia product is a change from the way people have traditionally been doing for pre-bed activities, it may produce behaviour changes. It also suggests to us how we can build a reciprocal relationship along with the technology, to navigate us to live in the era of media fragmentation.
About the Designer | Helen Hai
Helen’s work field varies from traditional product development to UX/UI design, with close attention to detail and an intuitive approach to the sensorial engagement in the digital age while designing with ethics at the core of every decision.
PALM | Matthew Chen
Palm is an inclusively designed hair styling tool that empowers individuals who have limited hand mobility with agency and self expression.
Self-expression allows one to distinguish themselves from others and validate their own ideas. Many individuals with different musculoskeletal disorders, like Arthritis and Muscular dystrophy, lose the ability to style their hair.
While some don’t see physical appearance as a necessity, these barriers can become detrimental to others.
Pain Points:
The struggles that individuals face when it come to hair styling can be attributed to three main pain points.
Features:
Swipe through to see what Palm brings to hair styling!
Prototyping:
Palm was created through an extensive iterative process of research and prototyping. It emerged through co-designing with occupational therapists, evaluating what the key pain points were in hair styling. With all of that in mind, prototyping with sketching, foam, wood, and computer aided design brought the design to life.
Each step in the prototyping phase was met with user testing and deliberation. All to insure the most comfortable and easy user experience.
About the designer
Matthew Chen is an industrial designer passionate about inclusive design and accessibility. His practice is heavily based on research and user-centred design, with a focus on consumer hardware. He believes that designers have the unique opportunity of humanizing technology and removing social/technical barriers. Further examples of his work can be found on his portfolio website.
