MIAD Industrial Design Process
Bluetooth Hearing Aid
Digital Manipulation
20" x 30"
November 2019
Exhbition Text:
This display board was made to show my design thinking process for a device I'm designing for my dad. The device does the functions of a mobile bluetooth and a hearing aid. It is inspired by Motorola, Apple, and Samsung devices.
20" x 30"
November 2019
Exhbition Text:
This display board was made to show my design thinking process for a device I'm designing for my dad. The device does the functions of a mobile bluetooth and a hearing aid. It is inspired by Motorola, Apple, and Samsung devices.
Planning
Inspiration
My inspirations for my design came from Motorola and Samsung devices. These bluetooth mobiles are what my dad used before he stopped using them since he couldn't use his hearing aid at the same time. The Motorola bluetooth (the two images to the right) is the first device he used. I used Motorola for inspiration mostly because it is a device he is familiar with using but the design itself seems efficient. The shape of the device resembles a hearing aid but the earbud part uses the usual bluetooth shape. I used this as inspiration because the concept is very good but the comfortability needs improvement.
I was also intrigued by the design of a generic bluetooth mobile. This samsung device (the images to the bottom right) was the first one that my dad used. I feel that this design needed to be taken into consideration because it is the fundamental of what the device originated from in terms of basic functionality. It has the earhook component like a hearing aid and the Motorola bluetooth but it isn't intuitive or comfortable, personally. |
|
|
Planning Sketches
My first sketch was to help me create a rough idea of the design of a hearing aid by using my dad's hearing aid as a reference. I used 2 different angles to display important details of the design. On the final board I ended up leaving out the writing because I figured I'd wait until I do larger colored drawings to do that. I would say this is the roughest sketch out of all of them especially since there is no color and it's pretty small.
|
My second sketch includes color and is more detailed. Since this was the brainstorming part of the process I have 2 different ideas for how the earbud of the bluetooth would be shaped. For the first design, I was influenced by apple earbuds since they are very comfortable and snug but not very discreet. The second design resembles a discrete hearing aid with its clear silicone material. I feel like the silicone material seems to go very deep inside the ear which I can imagine to be very difficult to grow accustomed to.
|
My third sketch is an in-depth diagram of a design that was influenced by the general hearing aid. This is a section of the earhook that wraps around the ear which allows the hearing aid to amplify sound. I included an accept call button and a decline call button with different colors distinguish the two. I ended up elaborating more on how two of the hearing aids would function together on the final board.
|
Process
|
After taking notes on the day we did the critique, I figured that I should add more components to the design. Knowing that the board is a fairly large size, I felt if the images were smaller then it wouldn't be a problem. So, I shrunk the size uniformly to the top left of the Concept Drawings section and added multiple visuals around it. He mentioned travel practicality so I added a small case that would fit both hearing aids. Later on, I felt that there should be a drawing of a person with the product to give it more context so added that to the right hand side. Murphy also said that there are headphones called Nuraphones that change volume/frequencies based on hearing sensitivities. I felt that that was very relevant to making my design more intuitive and simple. Afterwards, I added a visual and information about the concept of automatic frequency changes using similar technology. |
(Click on images to enlarge)
|
ProcessFor the beginning of the project, I had to start by completing two tasks that show that I empathized with the demographic that would benefit from the design. Since we could talk to anyone that needed something they wish they had, I decided to talk to my dad. Though it took a couple days for us to think what I should design, we finally came up with the idea of combining a hearing aid with a bluetooth mobile. After figuring out what I was going to design, I talked with him about it and filled in the blanks of the POV Statement: "We met... We were amazed to find... It would make a real difference if we could...". Then I started on the empathy chart where I had to record his observations, thoughts, stories, and feelings towards the design.
|
Once I was done with the planning sketches, I started scanning them and putting them on my USB drive. Then, I put them in a PSD file on seperate layers and transferred the file to the app Procreate via Google Drive.
|
|
Reflection
At first I thought that this project was going to be difficult because Adobe Photoshop is a program I'm unfamiliar with. So being able to use Procreate for this project was a relief since I just wanted to organize my ideas without any issues. I did learn a lot about design thinking which was very interesting in my opinion. It was intriguing to be able to use my experience in Procreate be applied to this project since I have used it for a couple years.
ACT Responses
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
The bluetooth mobiles my dad usesd are an inspiration to my design because he wouldn't have had an issue if it weren't for the flaws of those designs.
The bluetooth mobiles my dad usesd are an inspiration to my design because he wouldn't have had an issue if it weren't for the flaws of those designs.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The author shows the functions of the individual designs and what they were made for.
The author shows the functions of the individual designs and what they were made for.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc, while you researched your inspiration?
I noticed that a lot of people that have hearing aids, would like to keep it discrete, which is why hearing aids are marketed as such.
I noticed that a lot of people that have hearing aids, would like to keep it discrete, which is why hearing aids are marketed as such.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central idea around my research is to dig deeper into the designs of bluetooth mobiles my dad uses.
The central idea around my research is to dig deeper into the designs of bluetooth mobiles my dad uses.
What kind of inferences (conclusons reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning) did you make while reading your research?
I feel that many of the companies making hearing aids and bluetooths have good concepts but need improvement on comfortability.
I feel that many of the companies making hearing aids and bluetooths have good concepts but need improvement on comfortability.
Bibliography
https://www.shopyourway.com/motorola-elite-hz770-sliver-2-wireless-headset-black/692706615
https://www.batteriesandgadgets.com/products/view/samsung-hm1300-bluetooth-headset-887276072395
https://www.emag.ro/casca-bluetooth-samsung-hm-1300-black-bhm1300ebeghat/pd/DJPRXBBBM/
https://www.batteriesandgadgets.com/products/view/samsung-hm1300-bluetooth-headset-887276072395
https://www.emag.ro/casca-bluetooth-samsung-hm-1300-black-bhm1300ebeghat/pd/DJPRXBBBM/