Penpal is a concept aimed at reducing loneliness among elderly people The concept is an Estis Design project set up by Wessel Fletterman, Folkert Prins, Joran van der Sluis and me, with the help of the University of Twente, nursing home De Posten and Nedap, and you can try it for yourself this week, because we are presenting a working demonstration prototype this week at the Dutch Design Week! Until Sunday the 29th of October, 2017 you can find our booth at the Mind the Step exposition in the Klokgebouw, Eindhoven.
To illustrate the concept, I made this animation together with Wessel, who helped in the editing (you can also see a more HD version here). Basically, the idea is to create a translation from digital to analogue communication and back, similar to a fax, however with a greater focus on ease of use.
For the exposition we built an installation that shows the interaction and gives us a chance to see how people react and interact with the system. People can try out both ways. First, you can send a message via telegram, which is then turned into a letter with a reaction form. You can try this out by searching for @iotomabot in the telegram app, or by going to appeenoma.nl. For the interaction from the analogue user’s point of view, you will have to visit the exhibition, where you can send a letter to other visitors or see how it shows up in the app again.
Study
project on electric vehicle system design. The focus of the project was
on dimensioning the drive train, adjusting the entire system so it could
function in the New York infrastructure and taxi system and fitting both the
passenger’s- and driver’s needs while remaining as small as possible to
increase energy efficiency. While we have looked briefly into various grades of
automation, the project brief was clear about the exclusion of autonomous
solutions, so the concepts are all piloted by a human driver.
First,
we analysed a large amount of data on New York taxi rides to find usage
patterns like typical distances, locations, passenger amounts, busy times and relations
between those numbers. Other contextual constraints like existing EV
infrastructure, grid load, incentives, working hours, highway locations, the
controversial medallion system and the cultural aspects around it were examined
and considered. One challenge is wheelchair accessibility, which we decided
relatively early on to solve by keeping a portion of the current minivans in
the fleet, as making all cabs wheelchair accessible would have severe
consequences on the size and therefore a reduction of energy efficiency in most
rides.
3
initial concepts were created to explore possibilities of creating
a compact vehicle that still looks attractive. On top of that we took on two
other challenges: One, we wanted to clearly communicate that it is an electric
vehicle and communicate its current charge, so you won’t be disappointed when
hailing an almost discharged cab when commuting to the airport. Secondly, we
also wanted to address the health issue, as we found various studies implying
that being a cab driver is exceptionally unhealthy, especially due to the long
ours of static sitting and breathing city smog.
For
this first concept, we kept to a relatively “standard” look, derived from current
automotive design, with a somewhat sporty urban appearance. The battery power
is represented by a “draining” taxi sign, and by moving the engine to the back
of the vehicle, the front bonnet can be used as luggage space while also
serving as a crease area, while the back can decrease in size. In this more conservative
concept, improvements regarding health are not too radical and are presented in
the form of nudges in the interface, like notifying locations for a healthy
lunch or suggesting the driver to go for a run in a nearby park when he takes a
break.
The
second concept has a little bit more recognisable silhouette and is built up of
circular shapes and horizontal lines that are a subtle hint to the iconic Ford
Crown Victoria cabs. A lot of glass is used in the greenhouse to give a more
spacious feel to compensate for the smaller size, and gives the driver both a
better overview of the city traffic as well as the positive psychological
effects of outdoor light. The visual communication is done through a lighting
charge bar underneath the doors, and a taxi sign lighting up on the place where
one would expect the grill on a conventional car (there is still an air duct for
cooling and ventilation underneath the sign, however it is visually not as
present). For health improvement, there is care to be taken in the ventilation
system, which can filter the air and has feedback through monitoring the air
composition, the windows are operated manually so the driver will be less
inclined to open the window and more so to turn up the ventilation, and a
massage chair is added to keep the drivers’ muscles more flexible, while also
maintaining a more active position in the design of the chair.
The
third concept is most disruptive, and is completely based around the concept of
more healthy driving. Instead of using a conventional automotive chair, the
driver sits or stands in a console with large degrees of freedom, almost like
an exoskeleton. By adjusting the mechanical resistance and response, the driver
can basically set up a training program while operating the taxi cab. Other
benefits of this standing position is that the driver has a higher vantage
point and can look round easier, with a cabin designed to have minimal
obstruction of sight, and with the semi-standing position, the driver takes up
less space in the horizontal plane, creating a compact “stubby” minivan that
still has the height to transport for example wheelchair users.
Finally,
the second concept was used as a base with some additions from the other two
concepts, most notably the added sign on the roof from concept #1, as it also
needed to be visible when another car is in front of the vehicle. Even though the
third concept has some interesting benefits, it was considered not safe enough
because the new interaction would probably have a steep learning curve (which
also makes it expensive) and the reaction times are probably not fast enough,
however when given more time it would have been an interesting avenue to
explore through testing.
One
of the challenges was finding the most cost-efficient way to charge the car. We
first considered existing charging solutions, ranging from smart charging (which
charges the battery according to grid usage to function as a buffer) to fast
charging (which uses extra high currents), however even the latter was simply
not economically feasible when considering the ridiculous price of the
medallion licenses (one license for one car costs around a million USD). Therefore,
we also explored two concepts for exchangeable batteries. The first one is this
manual charging station, where batteries are rolled out of the car onto a rack
which then folds up pneumatically and can be shifted into the charging bay, a
system which is intended to both save space and the driver’s back. An
additional benefit is that these charging batteries can be used like a smart
charging car, but without needing a separate medallion licence.
The
second battery charging concept is the most complicated, yet surprisingly enough,
through the time saved it is highly likely that this would be the cheapest
solution when strategically placed, even when considering used space,
development costs, building costs and buying of the robots & tooling. The
system consists of a robotic arm that is located underneath a garage floor and surrounded
by charging bays. When a car passes over, the robotic arm can take out the
battery from underneath, put it in an empty charger and pick a full battery to
replace it, and the car can continue.
We created an interactive model to estimate specifications in relation to requirement parameters, such as maximum grade and passenger configuration. Some interesting results are displayed below.
The
interior was also briefly looked at, and specifications about auxiliary user
systems like the car control interface, air conditioning, payment system, communication,
lighting and interior power management were determined according to system
specifications and user requirements, as well as usability issues like accessibility
and audio requirements for sounds that the car should make to make its presence
obvious for safety reasons.
Quick
drawing of a possible dashboard configuration. A lot of controls are on the
steering wheel, and the displays are meant to be clear and without clutter,
while displaying all needed information
Together with Estis Design, I created these concepts for a pitch that we presented to PANalytical, a manufacturer of diffractometers, instruments that can measure the way materials interact with radiation, which can be used to determine structural properties of the material being tested. The reason for the pitch was a conversation with scientists at the XUV-lab on the University of Twente, who experienced that lab equipment was simply thrown around when it was not being used, which increased the risk of the precise and expensive equipment getting damaged or lost, and because it was hard to find it also decreased productivity.
Essentially,
there are two kinds of components that were at the root of the problem. First,
there is the measuring instruments, which can be attached and detached with an aluminium
profile to set up the right configuration. Secondly, there are small metal
plates with slits that are used as an optical device. The first concept was
based on packaging these slits in small modules, which can be assembled into a
tower with a mechanical connection which prevents all other slits from being
used if one slit is in use, while also creating a rail for storage of the
instruments. Added benefits are that the slits get a slightly more qualitative
feel through the packaging, and the module itself can make finding the right
slit easier by using colour coding of slit-module combinations and providing
space for information to be printed, as well as branding opportunities.
The second
concept is somewhat more intrusive, but could be sold as a separate product to
help researchers in creating a more effective workflow by integrating storage,
planning and presenting/reviewing tools in a workstation.
When looking for a person that might be drowning, speed is critical. By using an underwater drone (or ROV, Remotely Operated Vehicle) that is to be deployed by an airborne quadcopter, the response time might be reduced significantly.
Sketch communicating the initial idea, when it was meant as a stand-alone product, which could “fly” through water like an aeroplane (however the controls are upside-down).
In this concept, the size could be reduced by making use of the batteries of the flying drone, while the connection can also be used for communication and a live video feed.
The second concept is comparable to the first, with the inclusion of rotatable fins for more manoeuvrability at the cost of a more complex system.
This concept encompasses an amphibious drone, meaning that it should function both underwater and in the air. A 360*-camera in combination with VR-goggles are used to replace a complex gimbal
Finally a fully stand alone ROV was also considered, which could be dropped like a small “bomb”, propelled by two jets and controlled with rotatable fins.
The final concept combines features of concept 1 & 2, as well as feedback from the client and experience gained from a functional prototype.
The size could be reduced even more by making use of a module which is attached to the quadcopter, and a custom PCB in the ROV itself, as illustrated in the schematic system overview above.
To make the product feasible on a relatively small production scale, the wings are the only custom parts. They are symmetrical to be used on all 3 sides, using one simple resin casting mold.
Other applications would be recreational divers, so they can see if a site is worth the effort before putting on their gear, maintenance checks for offshore applications as well as inland infrastructure and constructions like bridges, and underwater archeology.
The DronExpert-canopy for the DJI M100 was designed from initial spark to realization.
DJI introduced the Matrice 100, a quadcopter without a canopy, specifically for developers. Dronexpert designed a special camera for this drone to detect heat for rescue forces on a mission.
These emergency services however do not want to see all of the equipment, but want a finished and professional looking product. Therefore a canopy needed to be created as an accessoires.
Three concepts were generated for the drone: A stealth style canopy, one inspired by the DJI design, and one with an extra lid to get access to the battery pack.
Eventually the design became a combination of two, where the front and the back of the two different concepts were combined into one.
After some subtle adjustments to refine the shape, the final design was presented with various graphic liveries.
The chosen technique for this product was thermoforming. Some extra design strokes needed to be made in order to be withdraw-able from the mold and another material to fit the production method.
Nominated
for the Rijksstudio award. This magic lantern is aimed at children and their
parents to reconnect in a very analogue manner in a society that becomes more
and more digital. While doing so, it also tells the background stories of artefacts in the museum to complement the information provided in the museum, which is usually quite dry and lacking in depth because the visitor only has a couple of minutes at most to look at it.
Using a
small candle and letting the operator (mom or dad) read the texts makes it a
cosy experience that will hopefully create many warm memories.
We were inspired by a wide array of artworks and products in the Rijksmuseum, some of it displayed on this page. Our main inspirations however were the magic lantern and its peculiar slides (1 & 6), the story behind the stern decoration of the Royal Charles (2) and the epic murals in the Voorhal (3), showing historical events accompanied by a small text, almost like a comic book.
The projector is an egg shaped projector, on a black box. The user lights a tealight and places the projector over the tealight. The glass image is placed one at a time inside the projector, projecting the image at a distance of 750 mm on the wall. Inside the projector is a parabolic mirror, which reflects the light coming from the tealight in one direction, so they are aligned towards the image. In other magic lanterns, this is usually achieved through the use of a condensator lens, which is mounted in between the focus lens and the light source, however through the use of this mirror a larger portion (solid angle) of the light can be focused, and less space is needed, resulting theoretically in a more compact device and a higher light intensity of the projection.
After the image plate it goes through the focus lens, which projects the image on the wall. The lantern has an angle to point the projection up so it is not obscured by the table, however both the glass plate and lens are mounted vertically to prevent distortion and align the focus plane of the projection with the wall it is projected on. Because some of the light gets “trapped inside” of the glass plate, we can use this light to light up engraved letters on the side of the plate (see image), so the storyteller is able to tell the story in the dark while the viewers see the image on the wall.
The
projector itself consists of 4 elements: a metal ring holding the lens, a
porcelain “delft blue” egg-shaped housing and a base. The egg can be
lifted from the base to insert the candle.
A deck of glass slides is provided to tell a story through projected images accompanied by a
short text, which is engraved so it lights up from the diffused light leaking
through the glass from the inside.
The Paintings which are displayed on the wall are parts of the whole story, the image on the right is an example of one of these paintings where the English Flagship is stolen. All these images together present the full story which is being told by the storyteller (the person operating the projector). Each slide has fitting information for the painting which light up from the candlelight that gets ‘trapped’ inside the glass.
Because the projector uses a lens, the painting needs to be upside down on the glass plate. Only a limited amount of slides can be used, so the stories should be short. These stories might be special short stories written by famous Dutch children’s book writers, like Paul van Loon or Tonke Dragt, and can be about historical figures like Christiaan Huygens, or events, like the Chatham Raid in this example.
Various
details give nudges towards art in the museum, such as the air intake, which is
inspired by the frame decoration of the Voorhal murals.
Apart from
the complete darkness needed to view the faint projections, the atmosphere and
immersion are augmented with aromatic tealights with a scent fitting the story told through the deck of slides, in this
case oak wood smoke & gunpowder.
As a bonus, here is an early concept. Some technical issues were not resolved at this point, but it displays an important step in the evolution of the final concept. The print here is derived from one of the murals in the Voorhal of the museum.
The wildlife treasury design was the result of a university project. The brief was to combine a food- and non-food product in one packaging solution, using at least three different material groups. This post is divided into two sections, the first part is about the concept behind the design, whereas the second half is about the engineering that went into turning the concept into a slightly more production-ready packaging solution.
Part I - The Concept
The fictional client was Tony’s Chocolonely. This brand is raising awareness about slavery. Designwise they are also interesting, with bold packaging instead of the usual “awareness”-earth tones
Current chocolate letters are only available in “standard” pure or milk, while tony’s is known for their special flavours like seasalt caramel
The chocolate is combined with toy animals by Schleich, taking the resource awareness that Tony’s is creating for chocolate a little bit broader as you will see in the following slides
The idea is to create a link between various industrial activities and its (mostly negative) influence on exotic wildlife, both through graphics on the packaging as with the design itself
For this concept, I’ve looked at 4 combinations of flavours, animals and material influences.
So here is the concept. The base shape is a reference to a gold nugget, hopefully supporting the question that I wanted to raise, what is more valuable, our stuff or our habitat?
Part II - Engineering
Some more on the technical details of the Wildlife Treasury packaging concept I uploaded, these are the various components that are included, and the materials that are used.
Secundairy & tertiary packaging. The box can be used as a display when a warm LED-light is mounted in the back and looks like a vault, selling the basic conceptual question again.
I switched concepts 3 days before the deadline, which was quite a tight deadline. Here is a (small) section of the notes I made.
Time for a portfolio update, and since it can always become better I decided to update the website around it as well. Also, I felt like my previous logo was a bit stiff and it could use some tweaks. So why not start this blog section with a little demonstration of how a lot of thought can go into a design process, even in a seemingly simple and minor logo tweak. No idea if anyone actually cares to read this article, but it might be interesting to graphic designers out there.
I started this blog back in 2013 (still in high school) as a place to show the things I made. At the time I was really fascinated by art deco, which explains the vintage looking logo & drawings (all drawn in pencil on my dads drafting table, good times) Before that I also had a blog called Zwartist, which was my nickname in high school because I was always drawing during class. During a course on web design I made the first redesign, but to be honest it was quite a chaotic website, so I redesigned it again in the month after.
I used the last redesign as a base for a broader personal branding language, however especially in print the yellow-grey-white colour scheme was quite limiting. This is why I started with expanding this colour palette. With this and the steps to come I wanted to incorporate the feeling I want to express in my designs in general, which is positive forward thinking and an adventurous problem solving attitude, always looking for new inspiration & alternate view. I ended up with a triadic color scheme with a sort of “warmed up CMYK” accent color set in 3 slight variations, plus some beige tints for more subtle variations on the base white.
While I was using a simplified line version of my original logo as a signature, I felt it evolved more and more into a double zigzag, which is both quicker to draw and has a lot more flow & energy. With this I made these iterations. The final logo was the result of quite some pixel pushing. I liked the idea of a lightning bolt, both as a symbol of energy & progress, as well as a wink to the harry potter franchise (I grew up in the early 2000′s when the first Harry Potter movies were screening, so I was called Harry Potter a lot because of my glasses). Something I struggled with such a simple & angular icon was making it not look fascist, and afterwards I checked again if there was no political symbol similar to the logo.
I liked the idea of being able to simplify the logo to a simple yellow dot. Also, I have to be able to quickly draw it underneath a sketch or paint it in the corner of a product rendering. Colours can also change. Finally, I also needed a small scale version for the favicon or other small markings, which also went through a couple of iterations before I was satisfied with the result at the original size.
With a basic colour scheme and shape language established (circles & rectangles as a base) I started experimenting with filling patterns & icons. At this point I tried to keep in a quite strict triangular shape language, which I later loosened up because I felt the graphic style & colour pattern gave enough unity.
I also made a concept for a new business card based around a consumption coin (which I found are actually remarkably cheap to print, however I first need to get rid of the 500 cards I still have laying around 😉). I found that the yellow colour just wasn’t working that well, I guess because of the difference between screen (which is actually emitting light) and physical (which is absorbing light), making the yellow color much less appealing. Since many companies can also print coins with an aluminium metallic look, I tried that out as well (combined with a lot of other iterations), which felt much more appealing, and also gives it a bit of a futuristic look.
I also needed to redesign what it all started with, a new portfolio website + blog. Again coloured circles with icons & rectangles with text are used for everything interactive, On a more technical note, I transferred from blogger to tumblr for more flexibility and improved mobile responsiveness.
For the launch of the new website, I created this fun little animation based on the now established graphic language and reflecting what I want to express, a sense of invention, curiosity and wonder.
Since I documented a lot of the process, I thought it might be fun to show my way of working in a step by step explanation (usually my thought sketches are all over the place, landing on any piece of scrap paper I can find and finally ending up in the bin).
I started out with this doodle, which I had hanging around.
These sketches were used as a base for the assignment (originally it was meant for an artstation challenge called “the journey”, but sadly I had to withdraw due to a sudden increase in work at study & the studio). I built some constraints around the (quite open) assignment to have some more information to work with, and searched for reference and inspiration to get a feeling for what the final result should look like. As a base, I chose sketch 2B, combined with some space vehicle and dune buggy influences
First round of sketches. The big one in the middle seemed to be the most fitting to further develop.
More sketches, converging a little bit more at every iteration. From here some environment thumbnails were created to explore the shapes in context, as seen below. 👇🏽
Since the third one got a nice adventurous vibe and the last one more of a spacey look, I tried to combine the two shape languages as much as possible. I also dig the composition in number 2 & 3, so for the final piece I decided to use the cliff/crater edge one, and I actually want to give number 3 a try one day as well (although there’s usually more work and ideas than time).
Final 3 iterations before going into the final image. Asked others which one I should develop, and since most said 3, that’s the one I went with ☺. The detailing has changed quite a bit from here however, since it felt more Soviet (makes sense, I was mostly inspired by Soviet capsules for that one), while I wanted to have more of a NASA look.
For the final image, I first blocked everything out in Blender 3D and smacked on some (pretty intense) colours. While it took quite some time to get things harmonised in the paint over, it did bleed through into a nice & rich colour palette that looks both toxic and vivid at the same time.
For the final painting & detailing I pushed back quite some of the colour and defined all of the shapes and details, and finally brought in some subtle photo textures to give everything more depth. I also added a little story element to bring everything to life. Most of the details are iterated and brought in straight on the canvas, except for the dragon/insect/dino/monster. For that one I made some quick silhouettes in Mischief to find a fitting body shape. To wrap it up, here are some detail crops 👇🏽
