Design is the fundamental soul of a human-made creation that ends up expressing itself in successive outer layers of the product or service.

Yuan Gao design portfolio

LIGHTING-UP Public Toilets Water-Saving

System

DONATION POS One-Sheet Hangerpak

TOUCHING NEWS

SOAPMAKIES Guiding U USEPA Farewell to Loneliness

MunaInteractive Augmented Reality

Sandplay

Gift Dispenser TACIT SLIENTBeauty instrument Panel designUnmanned Aerial Vehicle

LEANING

Concept Design

Interaction Design

Product Design

Yuan

Gao

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Tips: 1. If you cannot see some words clearly in 100%, you can magnify it even bigger.2. There are some links of video in the PDF, you can just click on them to open the video.

Part 1: Concept Design

When sweeping the room, we are frequently faced with a problem that it is hard to see some blind areas such as corners under cabinets or floors under beds because of insufficient light. This inconvenience impedes us from cleaning there. LIGHTING-UP is designed to solve the problem by giving out light, and thus sweeping those blind areas becomes much more convenient.

LIGHTING-UPEasy to see blind angles while sweeping the floor

LIGHTING-UPConcept DesignReddot design award: Best of the Best 2013

Design Team: Gao Yuan, Wei Xinyi, Ye Yiwen, Zhao Yi - 2013 Jul

My role: concept output/design research/structure & material analysis/testing & modification/all photography

LIGHTING-UP is an inspiration when we thought about problems that light can solve in our daily life. We found that LIGHTING-UP can provide solution to a common sweeping problem - hard to see dark corners. So we decided to realize this concept by ourselves. We are now finding opportunities to put it into the market.

The problem of sweeping dark areas is easily to be ignored. However, there are more than 13 million people suffering from night blindness in the world and most old people have hyperopia, who would surly feel difficult to sweep trash away from dark corners. Even people without vision diseases will find it hard. In this case, we found it very necessary to design a product which can help people see clearly when they sweep the dark corners.

Too dark. It is invisible to sweep away the rubbish here.

switch

wires

batteryLED

optical fibers

Where can LIGHT come from

Clothing

Food

TransportationHousing

Light + Broom=

A new product

Function of light:Light up environment

Problem-oriented thinking: Sweep dark angles

The whole system is to reuse water that has washed hands to flush the toilet. In the public toilet, water that washes people's hands will go to the water storage tank in the middle of the wall. When someone presses the button to flush the toilet, water stored could be reused instead of being wasted.

Public Toilets Water-Saving System DesignSystem DesignTaipei International Design Award 2013: Distinction Design Team: Gao Yuan, Wei Xinyi, Ye Yiwen, Zhao Yi - 2013 Jul

My role: design research/structure & material analysis/model making

This idea came from one of our brainstorming sessions. When we talked about conservation of water resources, there is much to do in public toilets for water conservation. The difference between male and female restrooms inspired the design.

SYSTEMThe whole system is to reuse water that has washed hands to flush the toilet. In the public toilet, water that washes people's hands will go to the water storage tank in the middle of the wall. When someone presses the button to flush the toilet, water that has been stored could be reused instead of being wasted.

INTERACTIONPublic Toilets Water-Saving System makes public toilet much more environmental-friendly. Although the men's room and the women's room is separated by a wall, they share the same system and make benefits to each other, which leads to secret interaction between men and women.

Water which people have washed hands with has the priority to flush the toilet. However, if it is not sufficient, clean water will be replenished.

BEFORE AFTERwaste water when flushing the toilet save water by reuse

WASHING

FLUSHING

When people wash hands, water will fill in the water storage tank. If the tank is full, then water in it will go out through the pipe at right.

When people flush the toilet, waste water in the tank will be firstly used. If it is sufficient to flush the toilet, clear water could be saved.

However, if the water in the tank is insufficient, clear water will go in the tank to supplement the flushing. This action is controlled by float ball self closing valve connected to the pipe at left.

It is the prototype of Public Toilet Water-Saving System Design. We just made the most important part of it to reflect our design idea. These are photos taken by me.

Details of the model

Process of model making

DONATION POSDonate small change in your card while purchasing by credit card

As we are now using credit card to purchase more frequently than cash, the behavior to insert small change into donation box is disappearing. DONATION POS is designed to pick up the traditional donation habit in a new way that people could choose to donate a little money while swiping credit card.

DONATION POSConcept DesignPersonal work Designer: Gao Yuan - 2013 Jul

My role: concept output/design research/product design

When you eat out, you may see a donation box that encourages you to make a contribution to the underprivileged. Often when it captures your eyes, it also reminds you that..."Oh, I don't have any change"...then you might walk away with half guilt and half justification. Nowadays, we use credit cards more often than taking cash out. So, a DONATION POS is given birth to turn your guilt and justification into your contentment of your helping hands.

At time we purchase in cash, we usually got small change from the salesman. Most of us would insert those small change into donation box. However, we are n o w m o r e l i k e l y t o purchase by credit card than in cash so that this habit is hard to be preserved. DONATION POS could solve this p r o b l e m b y l e t t i n g people donate small change in their card through it.

BEFORE&

AFTER

Vocal area

Buttons

Slot

To donate moneyNot to donate money

While swiping the credit card, you can choose whether to donate money. If not, then just swipe through white area, as the first picture shows. If you choose to donate, then swipe both white and red area, as the second picture shows.

The small change gathered through DONATION POS will go to red cross which could help people in need.

One-sheet Hangerpak is formed by a piece of plastic, so that it is convenient to be transported and carried. In addition, it is easy to pack the clothes as well as change into a hanger.

One-sheet HangerpakPackage DesignPersonal work Designer: Gao Yuan - 2013 Apr

My role: concept output/design research/product design

After buying clothes, we usually throw the packaging away once we arrive home. However, this is wasteful. I discovered a way to utilize the packaging after arriving home - transforming it into a hanger.

One-sheet Hangerpak is formed by a piece of sheet, so that the production of it is relatively efficient and convenient. In addition, it is easy to be transported and carried. The material of One-sheet Hangerpak is made of plastic that could proof water.

TOUCHING NEWS Handrails that can tell news in public spaces

TOUCHING NEWS is designed to provide real time news in Braille on street handrails which the blind usually hold while walking. News on the handrails updates every one hour so that blind people can ‘grasp’ the latest news through the handrail.

Concept DesignPersonal work Designer: Gao Yuan - 2013 May

My role: concept output/design research/product design

Blind-friendly design is often discussed. As I always think what blind people can do while walking on the street as they cannot see the views and shops beside them, I thought up TOUCHING NEWS which can provide them with daily news while they touch handrails. It is a combination of product and technology.

Pillars, six of which constitute one letter in Braille, could go up or down to make up different letters. Pillars change their height every one hour under the control of WIFI, and thus characters on the surface of the handrail would change. In this way, news updates every one hour. Blind people could get real time news when walking on the road in public spaces.

Part 2: Interaction Design

Web & Business DesignAssignment of the course Product Business Strategy

Design Team: Gao Yuan, Zhao Yi, Wei Xinyi - 2013 May

My role: concept output/design research/flow chart/interface design/video production

It is an idea from our brainstorming. As we found that handmade soaps have a big market but are in lack of a platform for customization.

SOAPMAKIES is an online platform for handmade soap customized sale. Customers can choose different raw materials which best suit their skin. They can create their own soap themselves or get a workshop to handle this for them.

Introduction Video(Highly recommend): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IweHHWzLQ8

ServiceSale Sale Sale

Service

Guarantee

Transaction

Service

Service

PartnersCustomers

ExpertsAuthority

Internet maintenance

AD

Key Partners Key Activities

Cost Structure Revenue Streams

Key Resources

Value Propositions Customer Relationships

Channels

Customer Segments

Franchisee

Hand-made soap Production Company

Official certification

Soap transactionProvide raw materials

make soaps for customers

DIY Instructions

Platform to communicate

Soap sellers Hand-made soap Workshops

Materials Experts

Tool manufacturers

Provide hand-made soap customized production service

Costs for employing experts Advertisement

Internet maintainance Salary for employees

Provide materials and formulas

People who want to use hand-made soaps

People who want to DIY soaps

People who want to send hand-made soaps as gifts

Initial fee from partners such as soap sellers, raw material suppliers, tool suppliers and hand workshops.

Salary for employees

DIYProvide DIY platform

Users’payment

Customers

SOAPMAKIES

Partners

Share Choose materials

Purchase

Communicate

Login

Sign in Sale products or service

Provide platform for communication and transaction

Classify raw materials

Give formula recommendations Provide DIY

instructions

Test your skin condition to give some suggestions.

DIY your own soap by choosing the shape and materials.

Sell handmade soaps.

Share feelings as well as trade with other customers.

Skin test Soaps

Raw materials Community

Provide all information about SOAPMAKIES.Home

Test customers’ skin condition and provide some advice. Sell end products of handmade soaps

Let customers choose the shape, color and all the raw materials for the handmade soap. And they can either choose make it myrself or make it for me to make the product. If they choose make it for you, then there are some workshops that they can choose. If the want to DIY, SOAPMAKIES will provide the necessary tool and instructions.

Community can be divided into 3 parts. Offline activities will show the activities about handmade soaps that our partners hold. Transaction market provide the platform for customers to exchange or sell materials or soaps online. Sharing is the place for customers to share their experience and feelings about handmade soaps.

Guiding U Guiding U is a mobile APP to guide tourists around the Six Harmonies Pagoda in Hangzhou. It uses different games to introduce parts of the tower, which could attract more young sightseers.

APP DesignAssignment of the course User Experience and Product Innovation Design Design Team: Gao Yuan, Ye Yiwen, Wei Xinyi - 2012 Oct

My role: concept output/design research/flow chart/video production

We aimed to design an APP for Six Harmonies Pagoda tour guiding. Although the sight spot has a long history, it is not that popular especially with younger tourists. We therefore combined games with an introduction in Guiding U to attract more young people.

Introduction video (Highly recommend): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOGqIj9Ujsw

Tracing the pattern Picturing Multiple-choice

question

Successful Unsuccessful

Get scores No score

Start

Map

Go to

Introduction

Six Harmonies PagodaBell Blessing Spot A

Ring Bell on the phone

1st floor

Bricks

2st floor 7st floor

Patterns Plaque Qiantang River’s view

Opening Interfaces

Function Interfaces

Game Interfaces

As the major users of APP are young people, we design in a quite lively colorful style.

Mascots for Guiding U

Buttoms and dialog boxes

Icons for different sights around Six Harmonies Pagoda

Color used in Guiding U

When opening Guiding U, you will see a map containing all sights in the senic spot of Six Harmonies Padoga. You could press the one that you are in. We take Six Harmonies Padoga itself as an example. When press the icon of Six Harmonies Padoga, you will see seven floors. On each floor, we prepared different kinds of games for you to help you better understand items on this floor.

Multiple-choice questionFirstly, there is a brief introduction of a certain spot in Six Harmonies Pagoda and a question will be asked. Users are supposed to choose one answer among four choices.

Tracing the Pattern

Picturing

There is a pattern on the interface belonging to Six Harmonies Pagoda in that floor. Users are supposed to trace the yellow line as fast as they can. If they could finish within required time, they succeed in this game. If not, they can try again.

Users are supposed to find the scenery of the photo and then take one alike. If the similarity is up to 90%, they are successful in this game.

USEPAUSEPA is a website that displays a visualization of environmental conditions in the US. In addition, there are all kinds of projects protecting the environment created by government or companies who want to run those projects through crowdfunding. Through this online platform, all citizens have the right to vote for those projects as well as donate money to them.

Web Design (Utilization of Big Data)Assignment of the course Information Design

Designer: Gao Yuan - 2013 Jun

My role: concept output/design research/flow chart/interface design/video production

Inspired by the Smart City from IBM, we focus on big data about environmental protection. We wanted to visualize the data and make it public online so that everyone can understand the state of the environment directly. Government or companies can also raise funding for projects regarding environmental protection on this platform.

Introduction video(Highly recommend): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5iQnGu-j1c

Resource: http://water.usgs.gov/data/ Resource: http://www.epa.gov/airquality/airdata/index.html

WHY USEPAAccording to the survey taken by SEEA, environmental protection has become one of the important issues in the world. So we want to focus on the big data from this field. Making environmental monitoring data known to the public is quite important, for the reason that it can arouse people’s sense of environmental protection and let them join in real environmental projects taken by the government. In this case, we want to set up an online platform which could involve the whole society to protect our environment. This web takes the US as an example.

PURPOSE of USEPAEstablish an online platform to involve all citizens in environmental protection.

FUNCTION of USEPA1.Bring all environmental monitoring data into the open.2.Bring all governmental projects in environmental monitoring into the open.3.Let everyone vote for projects as well as invest them.4.Let everyone supervise those governmental projects and give feedback to them.

Project Condition DataHome

Interactive Augmented Reality SandplayInteractive augmented reality sandplay aims to improve interaction between humans and sand using Kinect and a projector. Different heights of sand show up in different colors on the project, allowing improvement of sandplay.

Interaction DesignZhejiang Provincial Technology Innovation Project

Design team: Gao Yuan, Tong Shang, Cheng Wangshu- 2012 May

My role: concept output/design research/testing & modification/photographs & video production

This is a project combining design, programming and psychology. We use Kinect and projector to add interaction to human in the original sandplay, which could make the sandplay therapy much more effective.

Video of Experiment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tsRcUBb1bw

Farewell to lonelinessCombining fiction and reality, this stop motion animation sends the message that the lonely will always find someone one day. So never lose hope.

Digital Media DesignAssignment of the course Digital Media Design

Design team: Gao Yuan, Zhao Yi, Wei Xinyi, Ye Yiwen - 2012 Dec

My role: concept output/photography & video production

Though it is only a short animation, I took hundreds of pictures to make a stop motion. I hope that Farewell to Loneliness can strike a chord with people who live alone in large cities.

Introduction video(Highly recommend): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a4BoaxRX18

Interaction DesignAssignment of the course Cases of Technological & Creative Design

Design team: Gao Yuan, Zhao Yi - 2013 Jun

My role: concept output/design research/film shooting

Introduction video(Highly recommend):http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5Xb3gPpUS4

Part 3: Product Design

LEANINGA bionic and natural interaction enabled LED light product

LEANING is specially designed for young people who live alone and has different functions which meet their every need. Normally, LEANING emits a dim light to light up a room. When touched, it leans toward the user and becomes brighter. It can also be carried around when fully charged.

LEANINGInteractive Product DesignNational Undergraduate Innovation Experiment Design Team: Gao Yuan, Cheng Wangshu, Li Qunfei - 2012 May

My role: concept output/design research/product form design/programming

This project was a national undergraduate innovation experiment. Our team was multidisciplinary as we had students from Industrial Design as well as Electrical Engineering. The idea came from the need of our friends who live alone, as they wanted to save electricity and create a warm atmosphere in their home. So we decided to make LEANING.

Research

Design Brief & Specifications

Ideation

Concept Generation

Concept Development

Testing & Modification

Design Detailing

Expert Consultation Design

Delivery

·Initial ideas·Observation & literature search·Analysis of needs & problems·Existing products & market study·Opportunity search

·Breath-wise exploration·Brainstorming·Evaluation & selection

·Depth-wise exploration·Brainstorming·Evaluation & selection

·Design development·Sketches & sketch models·Ergonomics analysis·Functional & technical resolution·Form, scale & language exploration·User scenarios·Evaluation

·Mechanical test models·Prototype construction·User trial & evaluation·Expert consultation·Modifications·Refinement·Simplication

·Professors specialized in user experience design·Specialists in Engineering & Computer science

·Final degital modelling/ renderings·Final appearance scale model construction·Illustration of presentation panels·Finalization of design report

Further refinement·Form & language details·

Components design·Manufacturing considerations·

Engineering drawings·Materials selection·

Finalization of design·

Brief development·Specific aims·Image search·Mood boards·

ConclusionThrough user research, we found that most young people who live along do not like the dome light. Instead, they enjoy the light that can just light up space around them, which would make them feel safe and warm. LEANING is specially designed for them.

Survey Interview Data analysis

Market Research

Form & Interaction exploration

User‘s need analysis

In Charge

When parted, i t becomes lighter and can be taken anywhere.

When stroking here, the light will be even stronger, the light will lean so as to better light up things such as books.

LEDs

Spring

For Servos

For Battery

Wireless charging module

For Arduino board

Video of the experiment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAmILsZ7A9E

GIFT DISPENSERThe whole class aims to build a large set of gaming equipment. Students worked in two-person teams, each team responsible for one part. My team is supposed to design a device to dispense gift. Game players who succeed in the game can get gifts for our device. Name of those gifts are written on papers stuck in different boxes. One can choose one of the paper and get the corresponding gift. Before sending the gift, the device will has a series of animation to increase the interaction with human.

Interactive Product DesignAssignment of the course Information Product Design

Design Team: Gao Yuan, Jiang Jieyu - 2013 May

My role: product form design/structure design/circuit design/programming

Introduction video(Highly recommend): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oopaj-0WAiw&feature=youtu.be

Beauty Instrument

The full modeling reflects woman's beautiful body. And its symmetrical structure can reap savings.

Intern in IDS Design Company

This unmanned aerial vehicle is mostly made of carbon fiber and the material on the top is plastic considering carbon fiber would disturb GPS antenna there. Therefore, the whole vehicle is lightweight. In addition, the molding of its body resembles the bullet so as to minimize the fluid resistance. It can be both four-armed and six-armed according to different usage. Every arm bares a landing gear to keep steady while landing. Devices such as camera can hang on the hook under the vehicle.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Intern in IDS Design Company

When the vehicle is landing, the bottom of its body is 300mm from the ground and a camera shorter than 250mm can be hung under it.

As it is big in size, its inertia is powerful. The tyre and spring of the undercarriage could work as a buffer.

The GPS module inside

Flight control module，Data chain integrationmodule and others inside

Antenna wire

Power distribution module inside Ultrasonic

probe

Panel design

Concave and convex divide areas with different functions.

Intern in IDS Design Company

RapportRapport is designed and made in ceramics by me. What I want to express is the beautiful tacit understanding between them. They have different shapes, but they can be so harmonious with each other. It also applies to human beings.

Ceramic Product DesignPersonal work Designer: Gao Yuan My role: concept output/production

To be continuedThanks for your time

Yuan Gao design portfolio