obesity concept

Hi, I am a designer and I am currently doing the design of powerful effect sportswear for lost weight. The material of sportswear uses the high technology dissipating heat fabric material and people wouldn't feel hot when they wear this sportswear during exercise. I also use fabric which can have infrared ray. Infrared ray can help burn fat, so that the design can offer double weight loss results for users. Also, there is a belt in side of the sportswear and it has small massage points on it. The belt will massage the acupuncture points which have effect for lost weight. Thus, the design purpose is to bring effective weight loss results to users without additional exercise.

Please advise me for any suggestions. I appreciate your help.

diary

Project Two：Product Service Systems

Product Service System

We design an education system for kids’ recycle which is located in school. This system will help student realize the different colour of bins such as red bin for general waste, blue bin for paper, yellow bin for bottle and recycle staffs. Also the system will emphasize the colour so that children can throw the rubbish into right bin as well as they will take responsibility to supervise parents’ behaviour. Our target market is 5 to 11 years old children which is the best age to understanding the stage of cognitive. And for a day time, the best memory time is from 9am to 11am and 3pm to 4pm. It is the time during study periods and our system will build the memory of recycle behaviour for children.

Concept

Our concept is kid’s recycle named Recycle “R” us. Our purport is to design a bin that teaches children about how to rightly recycle and garbage classification. Our concept is there really cute bins for a set and one is red, one is yellow and another one is blue. Children will play with the colour and memorize which garbage classification.

Development

At the beginning, we thinking about design really funny bins to attract children to use. However, if the bin with sounds, light and complex it will increase cost and material waste. Like our initial concept, we want to design a bin with games but it has complex shape and it is really hard to clean. And we also thinking about to design a bin with tube, when children throw rubbish into the bin the rubbish will make sound in the tube. But when we considered the cleaning and feasibility we gave up this concept. Finally, we design the bin with simple shape which easy to clean and we try to make the graphic interesting to attract children to use.

Improvement

First of all, I must say that I am really satisfied with all group members (Charmaine Chen, Ruyu Xiao, and Jen Jun Zhu). We all concentrated on this project and profusely share ideas with others. At the first week, we have not chosen the right direction and we did not really understand what product service system is. We only thinking about the product did not consider about the system so that we confusing us about 3 weeks time. During several weeks time, we did lots of research about product service system and our sector, but we cannot handle it so we change our sector after 3 weeks. Based on this experience, we will try to choose right direction in first week instant of waste time. And for the concept part, we need to insist our opinion; do not change everything by tutors requirement, because we deeply understand our design purpose than others.

TASK 2D: ethical design issues -The genius of design

Ghosts in the Machine

The Ghost in Machine video is about how and designers working with clay and glass, handcrafted textile designs, and the Model T Ford's rise and fall are discussed. The part interested me in the video that is how the designers turn the product from studio to mass-productive industrial piece, and how they control the outcome of final product from beginning mockup stage to mass-production piece. As a young designer, we are sometimes not clear about materials, and how the concept can be made in real manufacturing process, this video tell us that as a designer we need to know how the final product will look like when we are still in concept stage, and how the product achieve satisfaction for both consumers and investors.

The video also generally talk about the how politics and social transition influence on design, how the certain period affect on consumer’s taste, the video shows us a good example of William Morris’s textile design, from the video we can see the variations of his designs which followed and changed by different time period and different consumer’s taste.

The video try to tell us that the design market have been shifted from mass-production to optional market, consumer have more choices for their products. Before product design focused on functionality and general aesthetics, however, today’s product design more focus on different looking of the products that is in order to satisfy different consumers’ need. As a designer, we all know that the world has already had enough goods for consumers; however what should we do about environmental issue, and how we can turn the used products to new product without damaging the environment. As my opinion, as a industrial designer we all should consider more about product life, not only focus on the manufacturing or aesthetics, not only focus on how to design a object to attract more consumer to purchase, it is all about to design something which functional, attractive and also it should be environmental friendly. I think as young designers we should consider the product life at beginning, not try to think a recycling solution at end of the design process.

TASK 2C: climate change -Six Degrees could change the world

Six degrees could change the world is about if the earth’s temperature increased by one degree, then what our world would be like.

In the video, scientists have established that the earth’s temperature have been risen about 0.7 degrees Celsius (1.2 degrees Fahrenheit) in the last century, it is the highest Earth’s temperature in recent history. A 2007 report by the Nobel Peace Prize – winning UN intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that the current earth’s temperature is highest in past 1,300 years, they also states that the temperature from deep sea have been also increased, and it is highest temperature in 1 million years.

According to the IPCC, Earth will warm up between 1.4 degrees Celsius and 5.8 degrees Celsius (roughly 2 degrees Fahrenheit to 10 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of this century. Six degrees may not sound like much, but it will dramatically change earth ecological environment, many species will be extincted, the sea level will be increased, and land area will be dramatically covered by sea. Based on the research, increasing 6 degrees would be enough to destroy much of life, and reshape our world.

There some real examples are happening around us: the snows of Kilimanjaro are melting away; massive boulders on the Matterhorn, snowbound for centuries, have begun to plunge in dramatic and dangerous rockfalls; and atoll nations of the Pacific are disappearing inch by inch under the waves.

The video wants tell us that the earth’s temperature is increasing; we have to be aware of the temperature rising. I think as humans who live on the mother earth, we should take the responsibility for our future; the good thing about this video is in order to show audience about the outcome of earth temperature increasing, if we don’t start the action now, the mother earth will turn into unprecedented disaster. I understand quite a lot of factories has already used new technology to reduced the carbon emission, but how about individuals; we should also start to find an alternative way to reduced CO2, and in order to protect our Earth.

Task 2B: sustainable consumption

I have been watch the video of cosmetics and bottled water. Cosmetics are substances used to enhance the appearance or odor of the human body. Cosmetics include skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail and toe nail polish, eye and facial makeup, towelettes, permanent waves, colored contact lenses, hair colors, hair sprays and gels, deodorants, hand sanitizer, baby products, bath oils, bubble baths, bath salts, butters and many other types of products. We use cosmetics product everyday but we do not really thinking about we have not consider the system of production to disposal. The video emphasize the system of toxics in and toxics out. During the running of system carcinogen, neurotoxins, reproductive toxins soak into the product even baby product. However, the manufacturing enterprises will not allow their product stick something like toxicity symbol. If they stick lead symbol on the lip stick body I will never buy lips again. It does not mean that we can do nothing for our lives. As a consumer we must hold together and formulate feasible as well as effective law which benefit for all consumers.

Also, the manufactured demand is the main problem bottled water which includes scaring, seducing and misleading consumers. In this video I realize there is no difference between tap and bottled water, even the bottled water influence our buy decision through advertisement and propagandize. They maximize advantages of bottled water like natural, safety and quality, but they emphasize this advantages by depreciate tap water and scaring consumers. For example they said, “When we’re done, tap water will be relegated to showers and washing dishes.” They always said their water are natural and come from some mountain but they have not told us water is coming from tap water. They are lie to consumers and do not tell us they waste how much oil and energy and the 90% bottle go to landfill rather than recycle. Like the video shows, the bottles sent to India and it means through bottles into others backyard. As a designer and a consumer, we must consider our environment and rights.

Project One: LIFEBUOY

Rationale

1. Research

Based on the research, for normal lifebuoy in china, the outside diameter is more than 725mm and inner diameter is more than 440 mm as well as the thicknesses are more than 107mm. However, the weight of the lifebuoy will not large than 2.5kg and buoyancy is not less than 14.5kg in fresh water up to 24 hours. Also, shell High density polyethylene buoyancy material Polyurethane foam mini order 500 pcs (in one container).

Actually, there are several materials can be mainly used in China. Most of the Life Buoys are manufactured in durable high visibility orange synthetic material and requires no maintenance, but this kind of material is not the eco material. Same as the orange synthetic material, PVC is another popular material for lifebuoy because of the cost, manufacture and durability reasons. However, the cork wood is different from others. It can satisfy all requires about durability, manufacture, and cost especially environmental friendly requirement.

2. Cork wood

Cork wood is used to describe wood from conifers. It may also be used to describe these trees, which tend to be evergreen, notable exceptions being bald cypress and the larches. The woods of longleaf pine, douglas fir, and yew are much harder in the mechanical sense than several hardwoods.Cork wood due to many air-filled cells, good insulating material, lightweight, floats. Cork cambium develops within the secondary phloem.

The brief description of the production process:

1. Cork harvest

2. Seasoning

3. Cutting the wedges

4. Boiling

5. Corkwood sorting

6. Slicing

7. Punching

8. Drastic reduction

9. Mechanical finishing

In the world wide, cork wood come out 350,000 tons per year. The main producing country is Portugal which produces 50 percent of the output of the world volume of production. China as the large producing country output 50,000 tons per year.

3. Buoyancy

The calculation of the largest weight for cork wood life buoy can be carry.

G= ρ*g*V

=0.03m3* 0.24* 103kg/m3* 9.8N/kg

=70.56N

F1=ρ*g*V

=1* 103kg/m3* 9.8N/kg* 0.03m3

=294N

F= F1- G

=294N- 70.57N = 223.44N

G=mg (g= 9.8N/kg)

∴223.44N* 9.8N/kg≈2189Kg

Based on the calculation the cork wood lifebuoy has enough buoyancy to carry a person.

The average height and weight of Chinese people:

Male: height: 1.697m weight: 67.7Kg

Female: height: 1.586m weight: 59.6Kg

4. Ergonomic

For a handle which is to be held in a power grip, the handle length should be sufficiently long to provide space for the whole palm (generally 100mm, but 110 to 120mm may be preferable). Diagonal hand width is a good approximation to define the minimum length, but the handle should not be so long as to contact the wrist. Handle of circular cross-section (and appropriate diameter 30 to 50mm) will be most comfortable to grip since there will be no possibility of high spots- but they may not provide adequate purchase for exertion of high force. Rectangular or polyhedral sections will give greater purchase but will be less comfortable. When a handle is used in a gripping action, its shape should reflect the curves of the hand- a concave surface described by the fingers opposed to a convex surface formed by the heel of the palm and base of the thumb- but with a gentle curve which does not risk exerting excessive pressure in the palms of users with small hands. The handle should be able to be used equally comfortably and efficiently by left- and right- handed users.

Reflection

The project is designing for disasters and our group force on 1998 Yangtze River Flood in China. In research part, we tried to find as much information as we can so that we through information to design the most necessary product for victims of a natural calamity. We did research on disaster events, response efforts, reconstruction efforts, socio-cultural issues, personal interview and trade literature. Based on research information, we found during the flood we can do nothing because everything was destroyed by the flood. However, it is necessary and useful to design a kind of products use to preventive and post-disaster rehabilitation for flood.

1. Concept

From the basic information, I realize that concepts most sample and useful so that people do not need to decode the usage when the critical incident appended. So, I come out three concepts which are lifebuoy, rubber bracelet and flashlight. The material of the lifebuoy is rubber and it had container build-in, because it used for emergency so I choose orange. The rubber bracelet use to generate personal information and health conditions. The flashlight I want design it becomes a tool box. At last, I choose to develop the lifebuoy and to make it become the ergonomic and convenient design.

2. Development

The firstly, I have not consider that material need to be eco material. In deeply research I found that cork wood can be used for lifebuoy. Cork wood use to be the popular material because cork wood due to many air-filled cells, well insulating material, lightweight, floats. Cork cambium develops within the secondary phloem. Also cork wood is strong, light, high buoyancy and anti- corrosion material. However, the old design of cork wood life buoy does not follow the ergonomic method that if people want to grip the life buoy the only part they can use is the rope around the life buoy. So, I decide to change the original shape of the life buoy that people can easier grip and the rescue can throw it relaxed. Based on the research, the handle length should be sufficiently long to provide space for the whole palm, generally 100mm, but 110 to 120mm may be preferable. Also, Handle of circular cross-section and appropriate diameter 30 to 50mm. At last, for the convenient reason, I decide to make my life buoy as a package bench which was located at bus station, bridge, and some high terrain place so that when disaster happening it can produce the best possible results.

3. Improvement

As the industrial designer, I realize that during the concept stage I need to consider the eco material must be the first choice for me to use. To use eco material is not only the behavior to sustain environmental friendly but also it is the way to improve the value of product. As well as, for the mature design I need to consider as much using situation as I can. It is responsible behavior for all users that can develop ability of the design and the project.

Comments:

Darmawan, Stanley

Lam, Angela

Shao, LuFei Vivian

Zhang, Menglei Claudia

Zhu, Jen Jun