On the Move A collaborative project between Northumbria University and Intel Mobile Platform Solutions

The On the Move project was an opportunity for a small group of Industrial Design students from Northumbria University to team up with Intel’s Mobile Platform Solutions Division. The aim of the project was to produce a series of creative, well-informed and innovative outcomes looking at the future of mobile computing.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

NEIL SHEPPARD - NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY - ON THE MOVE 01

Initial briefing

The ‘On the Move’ team

Project Overview

* product concept has been redesigned since completion of the animation

Explorative brief writing enabled us to identify and map out key territories to investigate further

The brief writing was done individually as well as in small teams to ensure that a wide variety of topics and personal and professional interests were explored. These briefs then went through a filtering process to identify the most relevant and interesting subjects to develop further and present to the team at Intel.

BRIEF WRITING

NEIL SHEPPARD - NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY - ON THE MOVE 02

Exploring the brief

Identifying the territory

Project Overview

The intital briefs went through a series of filtering processes to refine the objectives

This project began with a brief named ‘hijacker’, the brief explored the concept of capturing and employing the functionality of other devices that were not being used to their full potential. Through a series of filtering processes and persona generation, this brief morphed into a project looking at travel, communication and accessing information.

BRIEF REFINEMENT

NEIL SHEPPARD - NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY - ON THE MOVE 03

Early thoughts

Exploring the concept

Project Overview

Exploring the concept of tagging a physical environment with digital information

Tag the World is a device and supporting service proposition that allows users to attach a piece of digital information, media, text etc. to an actual, real-world location. Users can then use the device to view this information either on a map or by holding the device up and looking through the interface into a world of digitally tagged content.

TAG THE WORLD CONCEPT

NEIL SHEPPARD - NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY - ON THE MOVE 04

Exploring maps

Viewing ‘tags’

Project Overview

Simple and intuitive input allows for smooth, fluid navigation of the device interface

Tag the World features force sensitive interaction, this is a very intuitive method of navigating the interface and provides a rich user experience. For example, when using maps... to zoom in the user would bend the device towards themselves, and to zoom out they would bend the device outwards. Strain guages identify the direction and force applied by the user and translates this information to the intertface.

FORCE SENSITIVE INTERACTION

NEIL SHEPPARD - NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY - ON THE MOVE 05

Neutral position

Bend away to zoom out

Project Overview

Looking at how force sensitive interaction could be employed to improve user experience

A large part of this project explored how else force sensitive interaction could be used meaningfully by this device and not just seen as a gimmick. Through the use of quick prototypes and looking at usage models for this device a series of control gestures were devised that would allow users to use the full scope of force sensitive input.

CONTROL GESTURES

NEIL SHEPPARD - NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY - ON THE MOVE 06

Full size mock-up

X, Y and Z-axis control patterns

Project Overview

Looking at how force sensitive interaction would work with the device interface

The force sensitive interaction aspect of the concept and the nature of the product itself make it ideal to employ a zoomable user interface (ZUI). The ZUI allows the user to explore the real depth of information, if they want to see more detail they can zoom in to look deeper and uncover more information, it’s a simple and literal model for an interface.

NAVIGATING THE INTERFACE

NEIL SHEPPARD - NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY - ON THE MOVE 07

A window to the world

Pan, zoom and twist

Project Overview

This project used many tools to progress the development of the design proposition

Some of the processes used for the progression of this project include: brief writing, persona generation to create and test usage models, sketching for form and detailing exploration, model making for ergonomic considerations and force sensitive interaction usage, CAD for 3D realisations. Although the outcome was individual, it was essential to collaborate and discuss ideas and development with the whole On the Move team for the best results.

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

NEIL SHEPPARD - NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY - ON THE MOVE 08

Sketch development

Sketch development

Project Overview

A key question in the development of this design was: Should the device be flexible or rigid?

There were a lot of discussions as to whether the device should actually flex or if it should just respond to force sensitive pressure applied to it. In the animation the device is largely rigid but the handle joints allow the hand grips to flex, in the updated product design which has been revisited since the animation I have explored a fully rigid concept (right).

FLEX OR NOT?

NEIL SHEPPARD - NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY - ON THE MOVE 09

Flexible device

Rigid device

Project Overview

The animation is a way to describe the concept in a more concise manor that is quicker to digest

It focuses more on the force sensitive interaction aspect of the design and how it is used rather than specific user scenarios of the initial Tag the World concept. This was the first time that I have produced my own animation but feel that it is a valuable method of communicating design concepts.

* product concept has been redesigned since completion of the animation

ANIMATION

NEIL SHEPPARD - NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY - ON THE MOVE 10

3D CAD Modeling

Adobe After Effects

Project Overview