JAMESCONNORS

2012

'TIME ME', I would say. Then my friends would clock how long it took me to draw batman. To me, speed in art was a priority, no matter how much I was told otherwise. How would this come in handy? When I was 16 years old, I was working at a toy store on the boardwalk of Ocean City, New Jersey, selling and performing with yo-yo’s. As a result of my mastery of the yo-yo, I began to realize that not only did I love playing with this toys, but I loved the toy itself. The yo-yo is not just a wooden block at the end of a string but a tool for personal enjoyment and expression. I loved this tool for its physical form, material, graphics, and packaging, all huddled under the branding umbrella. How could I become the person making these decisions? That’s when my dad, a mechanical engineer, told me about Industrial Design. It was at that moment that it all made sense. I’ve learned that my strengths as a designer are my speed, my presentation and my curiosity. My drive as a designer is to create that simple tool which people can use to enhance their reality.

1987 SUMMER 2004 Fall 2007 Fall 2009Fall 1994DISCOVER DESIGN VIRGINIA TECH TRANSFER INTO IDDRAW FIRST TOY CONCEPTJuly 23 NOW

ICON

MOTIVATION

OBJECTIVE

15 WEEK INTERDISCIPLINARY GROUP PROJECT

How do you design a non-medical product for kids with type 1 diabetes that gives them more independence yet greater connectivity to their parents.

To create a product using a simple means of communication between the parent and their child with type 1 diabetes in order to increase awareness, health, independence, and peace of mind.

SEMI-FINALIST, VIRGINIA TECH STUDENT BUSINESS CONCEPT COMPETITION, MARCH, 2011.

Jane Doe

CONNECTIVITY COOL-FACTORINDEPENDENCE

DEVELOPERSJames ConnorsKris Mascher (Electrical Engineer Major)Jessica Propps (Accounting Major)Betty Rose (Marketing Major)

On average, a child with Diabetes has to check their Blood Glucose Levels (BGL) 8 to 10 times a day.

In a family that has a child with diabetes, communication between the parents and the child is one of the most crucial elements of everyday life. Once diagnosed a child must inform the parent of his or her blood glucose levels before and after eating and physical activity.

According to market research firm Yankee Group, cell phone usage between ages 8-12 year old have nearly doubled in the market from 5.3 million users in 2006 to 10.5 million users currently in 2010 (Highbeam).

WHY COMMUNICATION?

LET KIDS BE KIDS

BIRTH

Type 1 diabetes can develop at any age, but usually appears during adolescence.

Disruption!

For the most part, she is comfortable knowing her daughter’s routine during the week and what she will need. However, on the weekends, sleepovers are a nightmare. her daughter likes to stay in contact with the other campers she met. The mother likes the comfort of being in direct contact with her daughter at any time during the day. There is a constant communication, mostly through text messages, through which the daughter informs her mother of her blood glucose levels (BGL). If the readings are abnormally high, she will have to talk to her daughter on the phone to figure out why this is. Otherwise she is constantly reminding her daughter to check and send her levels.

She simply needs to remind her daughter to check her levels. Once checked, she needs her daughter to send her levels. The only time she really needs to talk to her daughter is to find out how much carbs a certain meal has, or to figure out why her daughter has a high BGL reading. Got her daughter her at phone at age 12. She didn’t want to add one more thing to the amount of things her daughter was already responsible for. For the most part, she is comfortable knowing her daughter’s routine during the week and what she will need. However, on the weekends, sleepovers are a nightmare. The mother will have to contact her daughter to check her levels at 9. After that, her daughter can’t have any carbs before bed.

LAST RESORTCALLING [her daughter] IS A

"

"

A survey of mothers of children with type 1 diabetes was conducted to understand the importance of communication. A phone interview was conducted with one mother who has a young daughter with type 1 diabetes. It was discovered through this interview that although her child had a cell phone, calling to check in on her blood glucose levels was a last resort. Usually, texting was a more common means of communication.

WHY NOT A KID'S CELL PHONE?

INTERVIEW

Jane Doe

Forgetting it!

Breaking it!

Calling her daughter is a last resort. They usually just text to communicate with each other.

A BCLICK WHEEL SCROLL TOUCH PAD SPINNING FACE

C

100100

ICON COMMUNICATIONThe idea of using simple communication became desirable after understanding what little information needed to be communicated. Inspiration was taken from Nanos interface, which utilizes bold and colorful icons. It was decided that communication through icons, or simple pictures and text, had the potential to create shared meaning between a parent and child and became the basis for the design process.

INSPIRATIONNANO WATCHES

In combining model B and model C, the decision was made to iterate on a single pronged spinning face.

CA

+B

+

The top piece functions as a stylus rotating along a resistive potentiometer path on the base that is able to sense the position of a small protrusion on the underside of the top piece. This allows the user to surf through the menu options by swiveling the top piece in either direction.

BASE PIECE

STYLUS

BACK BUTTON

RUBBER BUMPER LCD SCREENFINGER SPIN DIMPLE

SPEAKERS

POTENTIOMETER

ICON

POTENTIOMETERPATH

The final icon form has strong tapers to it to give the feeling of speed to the form. The face of the icon has a dimple for finger navigation. This allows the user to spin quickly through the interface. By clicking the face down, an item can be selected. On the front of the device is a red button for going backward one step in the interface.

NAVIGATION PIECE

Mom

contactsDad

BGL

BGL?Dad

Sure?Sure?100100 110110

Icon beeps and illuminates

Click to Receive Dad asking for BGL Take BGL

Scroll through contacts to Dad

Scroll to BGLInput

Turn Face to Scroll

Confirm Sent! Arrives on Dad's cell phone as a text message

TROCKS

MOTIVATION

OBJECTIVE

1 WEEK INDIVIDUAL PROJECT

How do you design a toy that appeals to both children and their mothers?

To create a toy which not only inspires creativity through its myriad of possible configurations, but organizes in such a way that it leaves behind no mess after play.

FINALIST: PRESENT TIME 'SURPRISE ME' COMPETITION2011

ORGANIZATION MARBLESMODULAR BLOCKS

FOLD OUT CITY

THE BIGJUMP

THE WONKYBOX

INTERACTIVE

TOY CAR

STORAGE UNIT

Present Time, a producer of contemporary home and gift design held a competition in 2011 asking designers from around the world to submit original, feasible and brand conscious designs with the ‘surprise me’ slogan in mind. Out of their eight brands, their children’s brand J.i.P was selected as the focus of the product development.

present timesurprise meDESIGN

CONTEST

THE COMPETITION

1

2

3

REALIZATIONIt’s not that there are not enough toy containers, it’s that most toys are difficult to organize.

INTERACTIVE

MARBLE ROLL

STOREABLE BLOCKS

1

2

3

END BLOCKSTORAGEExploded

View

3”x3”x3”

6”x 6”x 6”too big!

4.5”x 4.5”x 4.5”too big!

FINAL

REVEALSSIZE MODELS

4 END

2 SPLIT

9 STRAIGHT

12 CURVE

STORAGE

ONE POSSIBLE CONFIGURATION

CONFIGURATION

VOLE

MOTIVATION

OBJECTIVE

DESIGNERS

12 WEEK GROUP PROJECT

What can a shoe do to enhance the lives of children and adults in developing countries?

To create a system in which local factories provide much needed jobs to both rural and urban Haitian citizens through the production of shoes. These jobs will develop technical skill sets and provide shoes for children, up to age 10, preventing disease and offering them the opportunity to attend school.

James ConnorsOscar SalgueroReid Schlegel

EDUCATION EMPLOYMENTSHOE ACCESS

FINALIST: IDEA AWARDS, STUDENT CATEGORY, 2011HONORABLE MENTION: INDEX DESIGN CHALLENGE 2010SCHOLARSHIP:EASTMANN INNOVATION LAB

WHY HAITI?

WHY SHOES?

no shoes= no education

The Amony’s are one of the many rural families in need of a reliable source of income and a means to obtain shoes for their children. Leila Amony, 31, is a street vendor who makes less than a dollar a day. Her oldest son, Emmanuel, 5, is old enough to attend school, but because Leila can’t afford shoes, Emmanuel can’t attend school.

“In Haiti, 50% of primary school age children are not enrolled in school”

Taken for granted in developed countries, in Haiti shoes can bring:

empowerment

beauty

sanitation education

pride

employment

acquire lucrative skills for self sustainability

break the cycle of poverty

revitalize the economy

represent a nation

brought to the impoverished

prevent infection from soil born parasites

TROPICAL STORM JEANEKILLS 1,900

3 HURRICANES AND TROPICAL STORM$1 BILLION IN DAMAGE

MAGNITUDE 7.0 QUAKE KILLS 230,000

LOCAL CHOLERA OUTBREAKKILLS 6,000 PEOPLE

SEP 2004 AUG + SEP 2008 JAN 2010 OCT 2011

STYLING

INTERVIEWS

“Even the most poorest people would want to have a shoe [rather than a sandal”]

“Kids are required to go to school wearing shoes so when the parents cannot afford uniforms and shoes for the kid, they are rarely accepted in the schools.” Jennifer Francois

When deciding how to style the shoe, it was necessary to look into the culture of Haiti for cues. An investigation of native artwork showed the use of a bright color palette. This palette would affect color choice in the shoe. In terms of sports, none is more popular in Haiti than soccer. Therefore, the cleat was chosen as a template for the form, with its pointed toe and stylish stitching.

Through interviews with Haitians and missionaries, valuable insight was gained into the Haitian culture. The most intriguing information was the fact that a child is required to have shoes to go to school, and the lack of shoes is a prevalent issue.

“Even the most poorest people would want to have a shoe [rather than a sandal]. It is culturally unacceptable to wear sandals outside the home” Fabrice Marcelin

no shoes= no education

A BHEAL STRAP SLIP ON WING STRAP

C

10 STEPS TO TIE EACH SHOE!?

SHOELACES?

CA B

HOOK BUTTON

DUCK CLOTH

WING STRAP

BIKE TIRE SOLE

INSOLEINTERFACING

BIKE TIRE

STEEL BUTTON HOOK

THE VOLE SHOE

The wing strap eliminates shoelaces and provides large opening to easily slide foot in and out. The steel button hook, inspired by the shape of Haiti, compliments the wing and slips through it’s buttonhole. The recycled bicycle tire sole provides an effective and cost saving alternative to the standard shoe sole.

receivetemplates

2

MATERIAL DISTRIBUTION FINISHED SHOE DISTRIBUTION

1 62 73 84 95 10

raw material

template cut

compile cutouts

hem pieces construction completion donation packagingpackagetemplates

MANUFACTURE& DISTRIBUTIONThe textile factories provide adequate tooling and training for the participating communities. Shoes made for school children are given as charity while the remaining shoes are collected by the factories to export. Facilities established hire locals to manufacture the shoes.

vole