gill.m


 * Lab 1**

Compare and contrast a Sony Walkman with an Apple iPod, and describe the differences in their physical construction, interface design, technology and delivery of sound. Quick sketches are helpful for this analytical process.

The Sony walkman paved the way for portable music. The Walkman uses cassettes while the iPod uses mp3. The Walkman is much larger. They both use headsets. They both have the same function; play music portably. The Walkman only allows for one cassette or what is available on that cassette for music. The iPod allows for a many different types of songs and genres. They both use different batteries; iPod is chargeable and Walkman is not. The iPod makes it possible not to carry many different cassettes. Also you can connect it to a computer. The iPod has a visual screen while the walkman does not. The both have options of playing and pausing. The buttons are easier to touch with the iPod whereas the Walkman needs more power to press. The cassette player is very rare to be seen in this day and time. Cassettes are bulky and have a lower quality of sound compared to an mp3. Less cassettes are being developed but rather mp3.


 * Lab 2**

1. Under each of the six categories, shelter, health, water, education, energy and transport, choose one project which interests you. For each category, describe how it is designed to alleviate poverty for the project's stakeholders. (6 categories x 1 paragraph = 6 paragraphs)

2. How does stakeholder analysis enable sustainable and socially responsible design? (1 paragraph)

3. List five characteristics of socially responsible product design. (List of 5 points)

1. Projects Regarding Stakeholders - Domed Pit Latrine Slab Kit

Shelter: Global Village Shelter: These shelters are low cost temporary emergency housing that can last up to eighteen months. They are made from biodegradable laminated material. They are easy to assemble and require no tools. This is very useful because it allows anyone to set up shelter without being a handyman. These shelters are used when a disaster happens and peoples homes are destroyed.

Health: Lifestraw - It is used when there is a shortage of water or where the water is not clean. This project allows people to use a special straw to filter out unclean water so they can drink it. This is helpful to areas where drinking unfiltered water can lead to diseases. This can help promote healthier people in less developed countries. Water: Drip iggration system - It is low cost and allows farmers to start their own farms without a lot of income. The drip iggartion allows a reduction of 30-70% less water and increase of 50% more yield. This can help lower income farmers compete a bit with bigger farmers. They are typically used in production of fruit and vegetable crops. Education: Solar Home Lighting System - This allows for the use of light via solar power. The panels absorb light in the day and give it off at night. Gives families with children light to do homework or play. This will allow more time for people to do work and possibly give a better effort; instead of rushing it.

Energy: Kenya Ceramic Jiko - It is a portable charcoal stove which can be used both indoor and outdoor. This helps relieve fuel which gives people more money to spend. This also helps people cook food in all different areas. Also it can reduce toxic gas.

Transport: QDrum- Water can be very heavy if large amounts are carried at one time. The QDrum allows people to carry large amounts of water from one place to another with minimum weight. This will allow more people to be able to access water and increase the availability of necessities.

2. Stakeholder analysis allows for a sustainable and socially responsible design through various projects. A socially responsible design helps society as a whole rather than a person’s individual financial success. The entire area is considered the main domain and not just one. The designer can see what options are available from the individualistic choices present.

3. Five Characteristics of Socially Responsible Product Design - Easily Accessible - Simple - Efficient - Eco Friendly - Durable


 * Lab 3**

1.In three paragraphs, describe the role of Jan Chipchase in defining the role of cellphones in the developing world for Nokia, and the benefits of analyzing and defining their use in different cultures as part of their market expansion.

Cell phones have become a global phenomena. It was first used a way of communicating only by voice. But now has expanded to so much more. You can browse the internet, send text messages and even create PowerPoint slides. As technology has grown, so has the cell phone. Applications are becoming a strong trend in the mobile market. It is incorporating many devices which were never there before; a gps system. Jan Chipchase is a person who works for Nokia and travels around the world to see human behavior. He goes and looks for information that can be useful to Nokia in order for that certain group to appeal to Nokia. In India he sees a man buying a cell phone in order to be more prdocutive worker. The boss calls him when he needs him and he can also talk to his wife. This person could never afford a phone because it would be too much for a monthly cost.

The bulk of people who don’t have cell phones reside in Asia and Africa. “According to statistics from the market database Wireless Intelligence, it took about 20 years for the first billion mobile phones to sell worldwide. The second billion sold in four years, and the third billion sold in two. Unlike fixed-line phone networks, which are expensive to build and maintain and require customers to have both a permanent address and the ability to pay a monthly bill, or personal computers, which are not just costly but demand literacy as well, the cellphone is more egalitarian, at least to a point”. In Africa talking about sexuality if forbidden. Many cellphone companies these days offer unlimited text in order to free up phone lines. Doctors in Africa can now send discrete messeages using SMS instead of calling land lines in which most people do not even have. Certain areas of the world need different features.

Jan Chipcase travels around the world with a camera in his hand. He goes around taking pictures of people and how they communicate with one another. Nokia wants to know which plans are better for different countries. They do this by examining the people in the area. The better plans they can relate to the people, the more likely those people will choose Nokia as its phone provider. This means more money for the company.

2. How does the idea of microfinance support two of the key themes of sustainability as outlined in the diagram posted on your class wiki '5 Key Themes for Sustainability'? Write one paragraph for each of your chosen themes.

Achieving a Sustainable economy

Nokia wants to sustain a the telecommunications sector. They can do this by figuring out what people want and ensuring the people get it. The Asian and African economies are really low and need help to get better. This is a really good market due to the large population. Having affordable phones are giving the lower incomes the ability to have the benefit of higher incomes. Microfiancing is huge plus in terms of helping lower incomes become more modern.

Ensuring a Strong, Healthy, and Just society

If a country can help become better in terms of cell phones, it can start to build up onto bigger and better things. Such as infrastructure. When a community becomes richer more is added to it. The Microfiancing is allowing less income people the oppurtunity to better their lives with the aid of cell phones. It can also help them communicate with people that are not in the area. The article shows that not just devloped countries are using cell phones, but rather devloping countries are on the rise. From texting patients in Africa to texting bosses in India. The devloping countries are going to change and change for the better with the help of cell phones.


 * Lab 4**

1. Write three paragraphs on how Annie Leonard defines the system of the 'materials economy' and describes its interactions. Annie Leonard outlines the term “materials economy” as a way of showing what the world does to make it run. It involves 5 concepts: extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal. The system is linear. By reusing goods that are already on earth, the earth uses less resources and saves the consumer more time as it is technically not brand new but still works the same. Large corporations can buy in bulk and sell to the consumer for a cheaper price. The economy is really hurting and people are need all the savings they can get. The number show that “99% of these products end up in the garbage after 6 months” which is not a good thing.

The government is another major factor in the economy. More than 50% of our federal tax money is now going to the military. When a huge disaster happens like 9/11, the government tells us to shop more so that the economy wont crumble too. The government isn’t really helping the people, they are helping themselves.

The market is based on Planned obsolescence and perceived obsolescence. Planned obsolescence is knowing that the product will be thrown away but you still create it. She states “journals from the 1950s when planned obsolescence was really catching on “Perceived obsolescence is the media portion. An example of this are computers. They are always changing month after month. A normal user just needs to run basic software and use the internet. The monitors are changing to the point where you do not have a flat screen you are not with the times.

2. Define extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal. (One paragraph for each term)

Extraction: Extraction is the first step in the “Materials Economy”. It is basically the notion that earth’s materials are extracted from the earth’s natural resources. An example is mining and oil. The more natural resources being extracted is causing the earth to slowing limit their supply. The earth can only resource for so long that new methods are needed to help with the decline.

Production: Production in the materials economy is the part where the products have been extracted from the earth to be used. Toxic materials are a huge part of the process as they are used in the making of materials. They are used in materials and we take the materials and it goes into our system. There is also a lot of pollution being created from the making of products.

Distribution: Distribution is part of the materials economy where stores receive the products. Annie states that most big box retailers are similar to Wal-Mart as they don’t offer benefits. The ones that fight for benefits are the ones that get shut down. It is better to be working than not working. The Big box stores save a lot of money and add to the payroll of upper management. The companies do not care about the environment only the profits that are made. Distribution is seen as a plus when a lot of goods are sold for a cheap price as more people will buy it. Consumption: The materials economy most important part is consumption. This boost the economy because products are actually being bought. Money is being transferred from consumers to businesses. An alarming statistic shows “about 1% which means that after 6 months, everything we purchase, 99% of the stuff is thrown out”. The media does a big part in influencing the general public in buying the latest stuff. In many commercials it shows that if you have this you are cool. Also your social character is risen if you have the newest item. The more a person consumes the more the government makes due to taxes.

Disposal Disposal is the last step in the materials economy. This is the part where the products get thrown away into garbage cans or landfills. The garbage gets burned and in a way recycles itself harmfully into the earths land with toxicants. The garbage is not disposed of properly in my areas around the world. The garbage is leaking into waters and polluting them. Recycling methods need to be created in order to help save mother earth.

3. How does her Flash presentation effectively organize the categories comprising “the materials economy” in its interface design? Annie Leonard did what most people in this age are doing; making flash presentations. A flash presentation is becoming the norm in our society these days. They are moving images so the user does not stay bored with just pictures that stay the same. It becomes a bit more interactive. The user is allowed the option to stay or skip chapters. A Flash presentation cannot change in state because it is a video. The authorship will always remain the same.

The cartoons depicted in the videos make it easy to understand and follow along. The theme is basically simplicity. There are no other distractions in the movies. Annie did a real good job of explaining the materials as she give numerous examples. Most of the examples people could actually relate to.


 * Lab 5**

Write three paragraphs to define the term 'ergonomics'.

Ergonomics is the science of understanding and improving human interactions with products, equipment, environment and systems. Ergonomics aims to look to optimize performance while protecting health and safety of the persons involved. Ergonomics is mainly found in work, leisure and aspects of our daily lives. The youtube video on ergonomics described many issues commonly found. Such as: task lighting, incorrect height and depth, comfort, movement of body parts, desk space and elongated laptop use. Ergonomics is a big issue in this day and time. Many people are not focusing on proper technique. People are bending their back in incorrect forms and looking at screens for too long. The performance of a person can be affected by the ergonomics. Better lightening and correct height can lead to increase productivity. It will allow the user to feel less pain and thus get more work done. The best type of chair to use is a fitted comfortable chair that allows your muscles to relax. Having light in a room will allow people to see better and put less strain in their eyes. Freedom of movement will allow people to not get cramped. Usable desk space will allow for people to maneuverable easily.

What is the 'Gilbreth system of motion analysis?

Gilberth's studied actions by random workers to assess their working habits. Problems he encountered were fatigue and discomfort. He wanted to find solutions to these problems. Gilberth anyalezed motions and operations. Their key experiment was done on bricklayers and the way they did their job. With the difference in task management the work productivity increased and the worker had less fatigue. Who was Frank Therblig, and how did he utilize 'motion study'? Therblig is the name for one of a set of fundamental motions required for a worker to perform a manual operation or task. The set consists of 18 elements, each describing standardized activity. They basically analyzed the motion of workers. Frank Therblig was a nickname for Frank Gibreth. He basically wanted to decrease pain and make workers more productive by changing processes and the way they did their work. Some of the questions asked where: can a holding device at the workstation keep tools in the proper positions and the handles in upright positions? can tools be suspended? can a guide be used? can a magazine feed be used? can a stacking device be used? can a rotating fixture be used? can a jig or fixture be used? does the activity justify mechanized or automated equipment? would it be practical to make the assembly in multiple units? 4. Describe three categories Frank Gerblith used in the Therblig Analysis Checklist. Three categories Frank Gerblith used in the Therblig Analysis Checklist are reach and move, search and hold.

1. Reach and Move:

Frank wanted to see if he could decrease movements so that less time was placed on the movements and would increase productivity. The distance traveled had to be shortened so that less time was being placed on the task. Factors such as gravity were placed on the the inability list. If time could be reduced by changing a method, such as a finger or shoulder, it would be implemented. They wanted to eleiminate movement so they could increase speed and less pain.

2.) Search: Frank wanted to see if labels and colours were done properly. If better lightening could be used. If transporting goods will be better with the new techniques or the old ones.

3.) Hold:

Frank wanted to see: if a mechanical jigs could be used. Also if friction can be used or a magnetic device can be used.


 * Lab 6**

Write four paragraphs defining the term 'bodystorming'. (4 paragraphs)

Bodystorming is similar to branstorming. The general concept revolves around creating different ideas and acting and playing techniques. It works by having many people participate and explore new ideas constanlty. A participatory experience for exploring ideas and innovation issues in a designed physical situation. The concept of bodystorming is a more physical version of the brainstorming method.

Bodystroming works by creating scenarios and acting them out. The scenario can be present anywhere such as a house, studio including props or without props. Brainstorming commences by verbal communication and written notes in ideas whereas bodystorming is phyically sought out in scenarios such as acting. The whole idea behind this concept is to see how people interact with one another by exchanging physical movements. This is to promote physicalness instead of verbal and written.The experience creates a model situation in which rapid iteration and understanding of underlying assumptions can be explored.

The idea of bodystroming is to incorporate real life scenarios into everyday life by acting them out. The kinds of relationships that occur through social and cultural interactions between people. Bodystroming is a really fun idea. This allows us to experess ourselfs in physical forms. The physical setting can be similar to the 3d dimension as it is something different than the norm. Many old traditions talk with just body languages.

Bodystorming is like playing a game. It is all about fun and expressing one's self. It can add pleasure or relieve stress. A person is in charge of controlling in their body in their own way. You can add props to exhibit more excitement or materials around the house or area. Bodystorming gives way for people to test and try out different ideas and assumptions. In fields such as role playing, technologies, emotions and different body moevments. It is continuious learning for the participants involved.

Describe an issue that you would like to use bodystorming to research, analyze and investigate, and describe how you would develop a Case Theatre scenario to do so. (6 paragraphs)

An issue that can be addressed by using bodystorming is helping people with disabilities. A physical impairment is any disability which limits the physical function of limbs or fine or gross motor ability. By using bodystorming an individual can act out real life scenarios present to people around the world. The more a person does this, the more a person can understand it and hopefully better fund it. It needs more awareness to create more solutions.

Blindness: A person counted the steps to mentally map the location of the stairs. A person does this by approaching landscapes. A person uses more of their senses such as sound and touch. It is a way to experience something that someone has and a way into their life. A disability is a very hard thing to deal with. It does not allow for people to be more equal with others. The world is not fair. It is where you can not see in front of you or anywhere around you. An example would be to blindfold yourself and walk around.

Hand movement: In the video they put sticks onto a persons hand to limit there movement to resemble the restrictions people with arthritis have. This is a good way to be in their position and hopefully design products that aid with their movement. It involves everyday tasks such as picking up a plate to typing on a keyboard. Words can not describe as much as real actions can.

Another example could be attention deficit disorder. These are disorders that hinder with the learning process of a person because it affects whether or not they can pay attention. Exercises of bodystorming for this topic can be done easily. It can be done by having a person multitask. This makes the individual think about two different things while trying to accomplish a single task. An example would be playing a game and talking to a friend.

Bodystorming is an interesting concept because there is never a wrong answer. You can do it pretty much anywhere and you get as creative as you want. There are no restrictions. The idea is to imagine what it would be like if the product existed, and act as though it exists, ideally in the place it would be used. “The proponents of this idea like to point out the fact that you get up and move, trying things out with your own body, rather than just sitting around a meeting table. The most common critique seems to be that it is not really a proper user-centered method, since it is more often carried out by the designers than the users of the final product”.

Unlike “brainstorming, bodystorming is the transformation of abstract ideas and concepts into physical experiences. Fun and tactile, this approach allows us to investigate different qualities that an idea may have when applied in a physical setting. It enables rapid iteration and development of ideas and relationships through a dynamic, continuous and creative process of trial and error”.


 * Lab 7**

Write four paragraphs to define the term 'physical computing'. (4 paragraphs)

Physical comminuting is an approach to learning how humans communicate through computers and is done so by letting them express themselves physically. Technology has made it possible to monitor and transfer data from one side to another. Movements in the body can trigger things to work on programs. The expansion of technology is going to make physical commuting greater.

Physical computing is a very a hands-on approach, which means that you spend a lot of time building circuits, soldering, writing programs, building structures to hold sensors and controls, and figuring out how best to make all of these things relate to a person’s expression.

This simply means that we have to learn how to tell the computer how to differentiate and change our body language into sound, heat and light. Also changing electronic signals so that we can read and interrupt them more accurately. The sensors we have right now are called “microcomputers” and they convert their output into data. Finally, we learn how microcontrollers communicate with other computers.

There is a large market for physical comminuting in the gaming field. Other markets where physical comminuting can be seen are the health markets. The health field will be more beniftial to society because many humans embrace injuries. The physical movements will help encourage treatment. The computers will help analyze more about the body than ever before. The computer will be able to tell whether or not there is a less of something inside you. It can give you the proper treatment and correct technique.

Here are two links to videos describing new authoring devices for prototyping, which include software and technical information. Write two paragraphs each describing their prototyping methods, and describing what they are enabled to do. (4 paragraphs)

D tools is basically a supporting program that allows for analyzing data for different products. Like most electronics, you plug in software and it will appear on the screen. The image is transferred from the product electronically to the program. Theer are two ways of testing the hardware, physically and simulating it. This is to encourage such things as troubleshooting.

There are different modes for the software. One of the modes is test mode. In this environment, users are recorded and the video is streamed. This is very helpful because you can maneuver and manipulate data easily in real time. This gives you more options and an accurate approach. You can also replay a movement from anytime as there is a bar at the bottom that lets you go back and forth. This allows for an easier, planned and efficient program.

Another tool similar to D tools is “exemplar”. It is a program that allows for the design, analyzing and testing of products. When a person makes an action, that movement is digitally represented on a screen. The user can see the movement. An accelerometer is used to represent the change in data. When looking at the screens, a bright light appears. There is also a graph present which shows the manipulation of data.

D tools and Exemplar can link to one another by sending each other information. Information can be filtered to receive the data you want to truly analyze. The technology present in these programs allow the user to have the greatest control because they can manipulate the data in anyway. They can put it in graphs. The way you want to adjust the data is the way the data can be adjusted. The main goal is to make sure the program works before it is tested out in the real world.


 * Lab 8**

1. Look over examples of her biomimetic principles applied to products in the slideshow located at [] and write a short, one paragraph synopsis for each of your four favourite product designs. (4 paragraphs)

The Bullet Train

The train is located in Japan and the nose of the 500 Series Shinkansen bullet train is modeled after a kingfisher's beak. There are many nature oriented features built into the train. To reduce the noise on the train, they mimicked owl feathers and included small serrations. This is connected by wires overhead and greatly reduces the noise. In the article a picture of the train and the bird are side by side. The beak of the bird is very aerodynamic. The bird is known for diving into the water beak first and it needs to travel fast without anything pulling it back. The beak like structure on the train adds an aerodynamic design that makes it go faster and reduces sonic waves while traveling.

Bio-Inspired Color Displays

Nature is a beautiful thing. It can inspire anyone in many different ways. Qualcomm Engineers have developed the nature-inspired display, which conveys color in a manner similar to the way a butterfly shows off its brightly colored wings or a peacock displays its plumage. There will no longer be just pixels, the displays will have these tiny particles that reflect light where wavelengths interfere with one another to create new colours. This type of technology will be seen in cell phones and electronics soon to help with less power consumption. The technology was evolved from Bluetooth stereo headsets.

Bone Furniture

The name simply tells what the object is. It is furniture that looks like bones. It was created in the Netherlands in the city of Rotterdam. The design is very unique. The bones are created in a way that looks like it won’t be stable but the matrix support allows it to be. The inspiration of this furniture was created by how bones grow over time. The picture displayed is that of a chair. This type of inspiration has led other companies to do the same. GM has created a series of car parts that are very strong.

Sonar-Enabled Cane

A company in England have created a product to help in the aid of blind people. It is called the "Ultra Cane" and it is created by Sound Foresight. The name of the company shows that they are dedicated to vision. The product is a cane used for blind people with and added twist. The cane uses sonar technology (a sonic sound is created and it is bounced back from objects in front of it). This is very similar to how bats see in the dark. This will help people with eye disabilities recognize objects and avoid them. The cane will create a warning and the user will know through the cane's handle.

2. Write three paragraphs defining how, according to Janine Benyus, "the simple, elegant mechanics developed by nature often make sense in a human context, too". (3 paragraphs)

Janine Benyus is an American natural sciences writer, innovation consultant, and author. Nature has helped humans with inspiration through many different views and ideas. Nature does things in a way that is natural which is different than humans. Humans have a tendency to construct artificially things and use a lot of chemicals. The use of chemicals is very harmful to the environment that nature is negatively impacted. An example is pesticide in our waters. Nature is a more natural and preferable source of creation as it refers to "mother".

Nature is everything around us such as dirt on the ground to trees and flowers. Nature has impacted the world by creating floods and storms but it always seems to adapt. Animals have a great way of dealing with this as they evolve over and over to get with the times. Humans have a great amount of intelligence which is shown by the creation of technological software such as televisions and computers. However they do not think about the environment as much because scenarios like global warming is happening. Janine Benyrus explains in her video that humans need to be more like nature. By being like nature it can be more self sufficient and have more sustainability. An example would be leaves and there ability to clean themselves. It can be used on paint and when it rains, it can clean itself.

Nature should highly be counted on for the help of creating more ideas like it. They are a really effective of way of reusing the environment to produce sufficient methods and create less pollution and damage to the environment. The world needs to make products more eco, energy and environmentally friendly to sustain a more positive future. By taking in what we learn from nature, humans can better use things to make them more efficient. An example is creating more aerodynamic features on objects such as the nose beak or creating self cleaning repellent which is found with leaves. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. Applies to nature. It has been with us for as long as we can remember and it still stands tall. We should learn from natures knowledge and continue doing what it is doing. It can possibly answer the questions to what humans are looking for.


 * Lab 9**

According to the slideshow by Sylvain Cottong, who is an employee at [], what is the definition of 'service design', and why is it so important? (5 paragraphs)

According to the slideshow by Sylvain Cottong service design is “the activity of planning and organizing people, infrastructure, communication and material components of a [|service], in order to improve its quality, the interaction between service provider and customers and the customer's experience”. An example of service design is hiring a company to make a club more better for its customers. The company can change the lighting or even colours with the club.

Times are always changing and what was popular one day will probably not be popular another. An example can be our hairstyles from before to now. A mullet was very huge in the 1980’s but today it is out of style. By becoming up to date with times, it is more likely that your company will attract more people and have more success and market. Another way to help customers see your store as a better place is to set the mood. People who are in a good mood are more likely to spend and become calm. This is why malls play music and have decorations. If a company doesn’t get with times, it will likely loose customers.

Having a service design company rejuvenate and recreate companies and businesses is more than just changing the physical aspects. It not only deals with the external aspect but the internal as well. The companies often changes the types of services offered and can also add to the menu if it’s a restaurant. It all depends on what is desired with the consumer and what is in with times. Getting employees to know their company better can help build better bonds with employees and also inform the consumer more about the company.

Honestly and reliability are two traits that are looked for in consumer minds when looking at companies. A company that has a great deal of customer satisfaction is more likely to see an increase in customer flow and returning customers. A customer does not like it when they know they are getting cheated out of or when the company does not back their product. A company needs to welcome their customers with open hands and keep them loyal with great service. By not pressuring, it gives consumers the ability to feel more relaxed.

With the advancement of technology, computers, print and the ability for news to travel from one place to another has increased. People are able to research on people and companies and gather more information than ever before. With companies being placed in the news, they are more likely to have customers stay away from them. Service design is vital for companies who want to stay current. Everything will eventually get old and can be updated to get along with current trends.