G193 Portfolio Development – Idea 1

Nur Syafiqa Bte Kasturi (108120) Design for Interactivity

Improvements in helmets (collaboration with Crizal ™)

Product design

Being a pillion rider to my boyfriend, I realized that whenever it rains, he always have to use either one of his hands to wipe away the rain drops. It is already dangerous to be riding in the rain, what more than to remove either of your hands to wipe away the raindrops while riding.

Thus, I decided to work on the idea to ease motorist while riding in the rain.

Idea 1

Input a “screen wiper” at the visor.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Advantages

o Rider can switch on and off the “screen wiper” as and when they like.

o “Screen wiper” is curved to follow shape of the visor.

o Rider can just easily hit the button at the side of the helmet to activate

the “screen wiper”.

• Disadvantages

o Natural causes of wear and tear of things – “screen wiper” might wear

and tear easily. The heavier the rain, the more friction is caused.

o Might not be an ideal idea because riders need to check their “blind

spots” when they want to change lanes. In this case, the “screen wiper” might block their view.

Idea 2

Collaborate Crizal™ into the visor.

Advantages and disadvantage

• Advantages

o Riders will not fear of having to remove their hand from their bike

handles (breaking gear/clutch gear) to wipe away the rain drops.

o Even with the rain drops on the visor, the riders are able to see clearly through the visor.

• Disadvantage

o Natural causes of wear and tear of things.

In this case, I would choose Idea 2 because riders do not have to wipe away the raindrops off their visors. Thus, this will not reduce the dangers of them riding on the road (of having to remove one hand from the bike handles to wipe away the raindrops).

So, I did a mini experiment. In this case, since the main problem is water, I did an

experiment with water and my spectacles. My spectacle lens are Crizal™ lenses.

Experiment

By using a spray bottle filled with water, I sprayed water on my spectacles. From the outside, my spectacles looked like as though I wouldn’t be able to see through them. But when I wore them, my vision was clear. It’s as though my spectacles were free from water!

The reason why users are still able to see though Crizal™ lenses even with the water droplets on the lenses is because the company makes use of Slide FX™ technology. This technology makes use of hydrophobic (water repellent) molecules so that the water doesn’t stick to the lenses and so that the water slides of the lenses easily.

*picture that shows illustration

Thus, from this mini experiment, I can conclude that I am able to finalize my idea.

With the usage of Crizal™ lenses, the price of the whole helmet will be costly. The price of just creating a pair of spectacles lenses cost around $150 (based on how much my spectacles costs because the lenses are of Crizal™ lenses). Thus, instead of inputting the lenses into the whole visor, the lenses will be input into a portion of the visor; the eye level of the helmet.

17cm

32cm

To find the dimensions of where to input the Crizal™ lenses, based on measurements, I’ll take 32cm (length of visor from right to left ear) subtract off the 12cm (6cm – the distance of my eye from the end of the visor*2). Thus, I will get 20cm. From there, I measured my eyes vertically which I got a 4cm.

6cm

4cm

From there, I will be able to conclude that I will input Crizal™ lenses in the middle of the visor. The dimensions would be 20cm by 4cm.

20cm

4cm