Design a ceiling fan for the premium segment in India.
Project Impact
To celebrate the evolving taste of the Indian consumer market, we created a ceiling fan which combines subtle luxury with its reliable functionality.
Inspired by natural aerodynamics, the unique assembly creates a seamless and iconic design.
After launching in 2022, the fan has increased Crompton’s revenue by over 24%.
Client
Duration - 4 months
Project link - Blossom Smart Fan
Blossom
Problem statement
Due to the tropical climate, ceiling fans are a staple in every Indian household, and form an intrinsic part of the interior aesthetic. The objective of Bloom is to step away from a monotonous form factor and create something that can be added with pride to the home decor mood board.
• 60% users lacked options and variety in form to adapt fans interior design.
• Feature fans are over-designed with excess features.
• Plateaued design language.
Inspiration board
• Decor heavy rooms, with various colours and textures.
• Ceiling fans have a plateaued form factor.
• Fans are not viewed as premium appliances.
• Form inspiration: flora and aquatic animals.
• Studying whales and airplanes to optimise fluid displacement.
Initial forms aim to shift the weight of the form uniformly as opposed to the bottom to create a seamless aesthetic.
Final concepts after 6 rounds of iteration and stakeholder feedback, with two concepts being chosen for production. The forms are inspired by natural flora and engineered for efficiency, inspired by aquatic animals.
Economical ophthalmoscope with real-time imaging and recording
Brief
Design an ophthalmoscope capable of imaging and recording with an emphasis on physical and cognitive ergonomics.
Project Impact -
Optiview integrates a recording system into the optical assembly, allowing ophthalmologists to capture and display the view in real time.
This aids doctors in conveying a tangible understanding of a patient’s eye health, fostering trust in medical professionals. It prioritises cognitive ergonomics, designed to be friendlier and safer, easing patient discomfort.
Client
Duration - 1 month
Project link - Optiview
Optiview
Problem statement
Current ophthalmoscopes provide limited imaging, leaving patients uncertain about their eye health and lacking reassurance. This exacerbates the stress of eye-related medical issues. The aim is to empower patients by bridging communication gaps with healthcare.
Ergonomics research
• Uncomfortable usage due to difficult access to control surfaces.
• Intimidating form factor.
• Device is used in personal space.
• No imaging of the issue for the patient.
• Complex device usage.
• Form based on-electronic component and optical assembly.
• Multiple rounds of iterations tested with an ophthalmologist for comfortable usage.
• Soft forms to create a less ‘intimidating’ medical device.
Raspberri Pi Optical assembly cover Camera Module
Patient eyepiece
Convex lens
NFC enabled accessory for personal safety and emergencies.
Brief
Design an NFC tool capable of sending the location and alerts to emergency contacts services, irrespective of the phone being on or off.
Project Impact -
Solver Omega is a slick design that seamlessly integrates with the design of the phone. With accessible buttons, it can be while inside a bag or pocket. Currently in its early stage of manufacturing, Solve Omega is predicted to be consumers in it’s first release cycle.
Client
Duration - 4 months
Solver Omega
Problem statement
7 out of 10 people reported feeling unsafe while commuting via public transport or walking in Paris.
Integrating NFC technology into a phone accessory, Solver Omega enhances personal security by delivering instant alerts to contacts and emergency services in-case of distress.
First concept -
Tested by 50 target users, focussing on ergononomics -
Key insights -
• Uncomfortable button operation.
• 8mm thick device, wider than most phone camera bumps.
• Looks dominant on smaller phones like the iPhone 13.
• The NFC tag was incompatible with some devices.
Actionable insights -
• A compact version of the PCB was developed for a smaller product footprint and easie buttons access.
• The NFC tag was changed to be universally compatible.
• The aesthetic took a more minimal form to seamlessly blend with various phones.
• NFC enabled tool with easy to access buttons.
• Seamless, minimal form factor that blends into the phone body.
• Prototyped using ABS and TPUfinal materials to be used for manufacture.
• Tested with user groups to address insights from the former concept.
• Buttons are designed to be identified by feel for improved accessibility.
• Small product footprint allows the product to be compatible across all NFC enabled devices.
A juxtaposition of the iconic Gibson
Les Paul and organic lattice structures.
Brief
Redesign an legendary instrument with a fresh stand-out design language.
Project Impact -
Inspired by the intricate patterns found in nature. celebrates the blend of the iconic Les Paul form with organic lattice structures in the guitar body, bringing in well as structural integrity both the spirit of innovation and the reverence for tradition
Duration - 2 weeks
Les Paul Arbour
The Gibson Les Paul is an icon of rock’n’roll. It is a symbol of good sound and rock music.
The aim was to study cellular patterns and diatoms(algae) using Grasshopper; incorporating them into the body of a Les Paul, creating a light, robust instrument, with a unique visual appeal.
Pattern explorations created on Rhino - Grasshopper
Autonomous rover driven by living organisms for data collection.
Brief
Can we use living organisms as biosensors, to gather real time data about it’s immediate ecological health and surroundings.
Project Impact -
TerraBot envisions a reality where organisms communicate with people in real-time, providing data on their physical state and response to their environment.
These entities autonomously drive rovers based on their data output. The rover measures and analyses changes in conductance through biological tissue to gather insights into the organism‘s behaviour. The project has a vast scope in monitoring agricultural and horticultural health.
Duration - 8 months
Project link - TerraBots
TerraBot
The project utilises a combination of data collection and data visualisation to learn and relay information.
Data collection
Electrodes continuously measure the internal resistance of the cellular membrane.
The collected data provides deeper insight into their biological rhythms across various species.
Data visualisation
Data visualisation communicates real-time organism data correlating with biorhythm patterns and responses to stimuli, bridging a communication gap between humans and organisms.
The visual’s movement reflects real-time organism data, while colour indicates the organism’s physical state.
A photosynthesising plant would glow green, while a distressed, parched plant would glow red.
Prototyping and Testing
The circuit is built around an Arduino Uno combined with an IC Oscillator that times the electric pulses. The data collected is analysed against baseline data patterns to establish the physical state of organism.
The rover is driven based on the physical state. Over time the computer learns the ‘baseline’ patterns of the organism to be able to correctly identify anomalies.
For example, if a data pattern corresponds to the plant photosynthesising, it will drive towards light - controlled by motor shields, photo-sensors and IR sensors.
72 hour data output of photosynthetic patterns of various plant species
Carbon
negative acoustic absorption panels made of hemp.
Brief
Create a 100% carbon-negative, hemp based acoustic absorption panel for commercial and home spaces. The panel has to achieve a Class B rating.
Project Impact -
The vitality hemp acoustic panel performed at par with Class C rated competing panels. The product sequesters 6kg of carbon per panel as per current life cycle assessment parameters.
My responsibilities include structural design, material natural binder development, prototyping, and acoustic testing.
Client
Duration - 7 months
Problem
Statement
In the middle of a climate crisis, it is imperative to find natural alternatives to plastic based products. UK’s aim to meet net zero by 2050 in emissions from the built environments, prioritises the development of products that use natural materials, to integrate into the carbon costing.
Hemp is a cost-effective, carbon-negative crop to grow and harvest. Using this material to create products for the built environment would significantly contribute to a net-zero goal.
The concepts variate to test density gradients and surface finishes of hemp and other materials to optimise absorbing a frequency range of 505000 Hz.
Key considerations included developing a novel binder ensuring structural stability, and maximising acoustic absorption efficiency using methods like Helmholtz chambers.
Hexagonal internal structure for strength and create Hemholtz resonators • Cells filled with high density non-woven fibre
Variable density panel - Concept 3
Hemp hurd of varying grades • Non woven mats of varying densities
Hexagonal internal structure for strength • Hemholtz resonator for targeted frequencies • Cells filled with high density nonwoven fibre
Prototyping
The prototyping process involved creating multiple iterations of panel compositions to optimise fabrication parameters as well as run acoustic absorption tests.
Optimising the surface texture was a key focus point to increase the absorption efficiency of the lower frequency range and eliminate reflection.
Mixing shive and binder components Setting in mould for heat pressing
Fabrication of panel Heat pressing panels
Rethinking solar cookers as a modern cooking companion
Brief
Design a solar cooker that can find it’s place as cooking appliance in a modern kitchen.
Project Impact
Taap is a compact solar cooker designed for a contemporary consumer focused on expediting cooking time using Fresnel lenses and zeolites.
It acts as a viable zero cost green cooking method by effectively harnessing solar and chemical energy owing to it’s unique structure and shape.
Duration - 3 weeks
Finalist
Problem Statement
Having grown up around solar cookers being used daily, it was unarguably one of the most sustainable and unique methods of cooking excellent food.
It didn’t catch up with the modern-day kitchen due to the bulk of the product as well as the laborious cooking process. This project aims at rethinking a solar cooker, making it accessible to anyone who loves to cook.
Current user journey -
• Setting up the heavy cooker to the correct direction. (Difficult for elderly users)
• Lifting a heavy glass plane to set in the utensils.
• Angling the mirror plane to reflect the light into the cooking chamber.
• Monitoring the food involves moving heavy components.
• The cook time lasts for an average of 1.5-2 hours.
• bulky
• engineered look
• long cooking time
• cumbersome to use
product development
• small footprint
• versatile
• expedited cook time
• conversation piece
• inaccessible to a range of users
• contemporary
• easy to use
Device Components
Zeolites are porous aluminosilicate compounds that store heat as lossless chemical energy. It releases heat when in contact with moisture and can be kept in sunlight to recharge.
A Fresnel lens setup consisting of lenses having semicircular (f-20cm) and linear (f-30cm ) lenses.
Cooker structure User Journey
Lift the lid of the device to access internal chamber.
Place containers with food to be cooked.
Add water to the reservoir in the zeolite tray and place the lid back.
Wait for cook time to be completed before opening.
Open lid and remove zeolite tray and dry it in sunlight to recharge.
