Strength'nAid
In this class we lived through the process of a designer in order to improve a gardening tool.We did this to alleviate any physical burdens for senior citizens.
The unit began with the evolution and history of what separated humans from animals. One of the traits was the ability to create simple machines for ourselves. This was the origin of incorporating tools into our everyday lives. The mathematics we were tested on was a combination of Geometry, Physics, Algebra two, and Trigonometry.
We had a field experience where we visited Home Depot to gather the data and intel of a product to see its flaws and benefits. What I learned from this is that there are commercial brands versus casual brands, commercial being higher quality material for durability. My partner and I chose to redesign a pick mattock, a long handled tool with a pick on one side of its head and a trench on the other. Observations for the pick mattock were:
1. the longer the handle, the heavier the weight of the head
2. Fiberglass is used for smaller and less expensive mattocks
3. There wasn't a lot of fiction provided for the grip
Afterwards, I personally interviewed a gardener in their backyard so that I could empathize on their experience. They told me gardening incorporated a lot more work and is prone to body pain if the garden is neglected. The effective tools had grips, hard wooden handles, and the function was metal. The ineffective tools were either old fashioned, rusted and unsoiled or just inconvenient. The large water barrels had to be tipped over completely, and the seals weren’t effective. The spout was too small to drain everything.
I worked alongside my partner to brainstorm ideas. We settled for one from the result of our sketching and discussing, in which we titled Strength'nAid:
Simplistically speaking, this project asked me to redesign a gardening tool considering the restrictions a senior citizen might have and adapting it to their lifestyle. A theme in this project is empathy, the understanding of what another feels in a situation because you’ve experienced it before. As a designer you need to know who the user of your product is and what they are going through to make the product as beneficial and efficient as possible.
It still carries the original design of a mattock except the handle unhinges at a high point on the handle, supported by a spring system in order for more throw back and less strength and effort required to throw the weight forward into the ground. It relies on the weight of the head to make an impact on the ground. The product comes with a jacket that has removable shoulder pads and sleeves for hot weather. Its grip is mold-able to the hand's imprint for increased friction. It lessens the burden of having to bring it over your shoulder and above your head because of the hinge spring system. The purpose of Strength'nAid is to break dirt, protect the body, and carry force more efficiently. It uses a lever function because it moves heavy pressure from one side to another by lifting the head.
The easier parts of this operation were the sketching and calculations. What remained difficult was creating a realistic tool that could use proper physics. I overcame them by discussing with my partner and incorporating any knowledge I gained.
1. the longer the handle, the heavier the weight of the head
2. Fiberglass is used for smaller and less expensive mattocks
3. There wasn't a lot of fiction provided for the grip
Afterwards, I personally interviewed a gardener in their backyard so that I could empathize on their experience. They told me gardening incorporated a lot more work and is prone to body pain if the garden is neglected. The effective tools had grips, hard wooden handles, and the function was metal. The ineffective tools were either old fashioned, rusted and unsoiled or just inconvenient. The large water barrels had to be tipped over completely, and the seals weren’t effective. The spout was too small to drain everything.
I worked alongside my partner to brainstorm ideas. We settled for one from the result of our sketching and discussing, in which we titled Strength'nAid:
Simplistically speaking, this project asked me to redesign a gardening tool considering the restrictions a senior citizen might have and adapting it to their lifestyle. A theme in this project is empathy, the understanding of what another feels in a situation because you’ve experienced it before. As a designer you need to know who the user of your product is and what they are going through to make the product as beneficial and efficient as possible.
It still carries the original design of a mattock except the handle unhinges at a high point on the handle, supported by a spring system in order for more throw back and less strength and effort required to throw the weight forward into the ground. It relies on the weight of the head to make an impact on the ground. The product comes with a jacket that has removable shoulder pads and sleeves for hot weather. Its grip is mold-able to the hand's imprint for increased friction. It lessens the burden of having to bring it over your shoulder and above your head because of the hinge spring system. The purpose of Strength'nAid is to break dirt, protect the body, and carry force more efficiently. It uses a lever function because it moves heavy pressure from one side to another by lifting the head.
The easier parts of this operation were the sketching and calculations. What remained difficult was creating a realistic tool that could use proper physics. I overcame them by discussing with my partner and incorporating any knowledge I gained.
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