Portfolio - School

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This is a selection of projects from school, through 6th form and university. it will be laid out in reverse order; starting with my final major project and working backwards.

Start Kart

My final major project was a go-cart designed to be cheap to build and run, as an effort to get people into the hobby.
It was designed around a fibreglass chassis, simple and robust moulded parts and an electric motor drive system. A key feature of the product is the shell - hinged at the front for access and maintenance, it allows customising and creativity without necessarily having mechanical skills.

Lightsound

A collaboration project with Architects who were tasked with turning power generation into a public access building. In order to let the public get close to the generators, noise control would be required; rather than using sound deadening, we went with sound cancellation.
By using a microphone to record the sound in the room, speakers could play the inverted waveform, in theory cancelling out the noise. While this works reasonably well in headphones, in an open building it would be harder to control.
Lightsound is a system of pods, hung from the ceiling in place of lights creating a localised bubble of quiet. With sufficient numbers, and controlled pedestrian access, the public would be able to wander in the same room as the generator without the need for hearing protection.

Glasses

An augmented reality HUD. Interfacing with your smartphone, they provide context specific information for what you are doing, as well as acting as a personal assistant and hands-free device.
Featuring eye tracking technology, the Glasses identify what you are looking at and display relevant data - from diagram schematics with part highlighting, to educational aids; 3D representation of atomic structures for example.

Ikea Shed (Ingarö)

The Ikea project brought together brand identity and design for manufacture. It collaborated with a Business module, looking at part costs, profits, etc. The shed is a modular hexagonal building put together with simple fixings. Multiple feet removes the need for a concrete base, while elevating it enough to provide airflow, preventing rot.
The modular design allows for a range of uses, from a garden shed to a summer house. The number and placement of windows is adjustable, the doors can be single or double, and multiple sheds can be joined for a larger area. The easy build up / knock-down feature allows easy replacement of damaged panels, and even the option of taking it with you when moving house.

RSA Inhaler

A small, home refillable inhaler. Designed to be more compact that the standard inhaler, it stores four shots of medicine and is easily re-charged form the standard canister. The rotating valve mechanism requires less force that a conventional inhaler, making it more suitable for younger children and people with difficulties gripping things. Available in multiple colours.

Cup

A quick project focussing on the manufacturing side of the product. A camping cup; with a lid that doubles as a stand; the legs also serve to 'lock' the lid in place. This project made use of mould-flow analysis, design for manufacture and basic marketing practices.

Bike

A quick project to design a casing for an electric bike retrofit project from the previous year. A simple quick release mechanism was designed, and the case followed a more function over form approach, ensuring everything was suitably covered.

Baby Monitor

A study on semantics, the Baby Monitor also served to showcase the surface modelling features we had learned. Designed to look like cradling arms, it gives the sense of safety and comfort. The exploded render is still my favourite to date.

Shaver

An introduction to surface modelling, and an attempt at photo-realistic rendering. In order to get a realistic lighting effect, I modelled a scale room, and installed lights in the appropriate places. The tiled surface also uses bump-mapping to give it a texture.

Market stall

A group project, the market stall is designed to fold down into a small trailer, while leaving plenty of room for the merchandise. This makes the life of a trader easier, as they need only drop the trailer in place and then set up at their leisure; as opposed to carting stuff to-and-fro from the car, which could be parked some distance away. Letraset markers on Marker pad.

Bus Stop

One of the first projects in University, this re-designed bus shelter can be fitted out to perform different duties around the city, such as smoking shelters and bike racks while maintaining a contiguous look and feel. Simple to assemble, cheap to repair, and with the concrete pillars, robust. Modelled and rendered in Google Sketchup.

Car Kit

Brand identity; our interpretation of a brand's look and feel as a breakdown/emergency kit for a car. I chose Toyota, and their Hybrid logo as a starting point.

Hair Dryer

A Promarker colouring exercise, followed by learning Adobe Photoshop.

Torch

A camping torch/lantern. This project was to work with a real life 'client' and produce something they thought filled a need. My client was a local camping shop owner. This torch has a deployable spike, for sticking in the ground and illuminating a wide area. when the spike is in use the torch automatically swaps from the front LEDs to those on the side. Robustly made from Aluminium.

Chair

A small folding chair for a child minder. Designed to fold flat and store away when not in use, this chair is made from solid beech, finished with brass details.

Screwdrivers

A set of three screwdrivers, cast in aluminium. The blue handle being shaped using "Polymorph", and the others with foam. The blue handle is powder dipped, and a mag-tip pressed in. The triangular driver features a removable dual tip, with a home made Pozi-like end.