Orange Team!
Sketch Models!
View the 4 Presentation Slides (.pdf)
Presentation Video
Concepts
Wheelchair Baby Carrier
An attachment to give wheelchair-using parents independence to perform their daily tasks while safely bringing along their babies.
Reviewer Feedback
Braunstein
Product Opportunity
The "accessibility" space is a crowded one, with most solutions being tailored to the individual. Broader solutions tend to have so many compromises they are neither here nor there. So......be careful. Having said this, the infant carrier / toddler stroller application is one I haven't considered and my uninformed gut suggests this is an area that may bear fruit. NOTE: "my uninformed" qualifier. You need to speak to many more people. The wheelchair space is difficult for many many reasons. The stroller and baby carrier are similarly difficult. You are merging them in some capacity, so be aware that you are about to tackle the combination of two challenging areas. The model conveyed the concept. More permutations would be beneficial. Are you focused on the infant (v. toddler). Issues of reach, load, dynamics, egress, loading, safety. A car carrier adapter? Speak to mothers and fathers who use wheelchairs. Recruiting this profile may be challenging. Don't assume any wheelchair user will provide the feedback you seek.
Product Embodiment
No feedback provided
Model Learnings
No feedback provided
Model Execution
No feedback provided
Deepali Kishnani
Product Opportunity
Yes, I do believe in the problem statement and not just for pregnant women but also for wheelchair bound men and grandparents. They would love to take their children/grandchildren for strolls. Customer persona can definitely be expanded to include them too.
Product Embodiment
Yes, however, as I already mentioned during the demo, think if it's possible to have the baby face the world instead of the wheelchair.
Model Learnings
The model did address critical questions.
Model Execution
It was executed well. I'd worry about the weight and size of the stroller and how convenient it is to move around, remove etc.
Keith Clavin
Product Opportunity
The product seems to fill a definite niche that is probably often overlooked. It would be nice to hear more from other users in similar life situations and how maybe varying types of injuries could pose challenges for the design (spinal injuries, etc.).
Product Embodiment
I'm not sure I totally grasp how the product would adjust to bring the baby closer/farther to the parent. Would they need t be at an age where they can sit up?
Model Learnings
Great job explaining exactly what questions you addressed and how you learned from those inquiries. In a class with a lot of things happening at once, sometimes the learning element can get sidelined but you all told walked us thru your logic and thinking, which is great.
Model Execution
No feedback provided
Chuck Xia
Product Opportunity
Wheelchair baby carrier - seems like you all found a problem with no existing solution. This is a good problem to solve. Spaces designed for wheelchair have space constrain (turning radius etc, example: elevator). The parents might need to hold the baby within the wheel chair boundary before moving out to an open space where there is more room to move the baby carrier out.
Product Embodiment
The general vision is there. Most parent would want the baby closer to them and in control of the baby position at all time. From wheelchair contROLL presentation, it feel like a bad idea to go down hill with the baby out in the front.
Model Learnings
Model demonstrated the potential of integrating a baby carrier with a wheel chair, a good start.
Model Execution
Now you can start thinking and designing for baby and parent safety and comfort.
Rich Wiesman
Product Opportunity
The wheel chair baby carrier seems like a good product opportunity and a real need. With that said, the number of wheel chair users in the US is relatively small, and I suspect that the number of those users who are long term users and want the baby carrier is very small. If that market size is truly sufficient then the product concept is sound. One other thing, many wheel chairs are paid for by medical insurance compensation. This is an area that carefully controls what items will be paid for and what will not be covered. Accessories and things of this type are probably not going to be covered by insurance.
Product Embodiment
The basic embodiment seems good. For the actual baby carrier, you might simply look at the small bucket like carriers that have already been engineered and tested for safety in automobiles. These are relatively cheap and made in large quantities -- plus they serve as good mobile carriers for bringing an infant into a home or somewhere where the seat may still be desired. My biggest concern about the overall embodiment is that the baby carrier has become the front bumper. That is, if any forward collision occurs, the baby in the carrier is the thing that sees the initial impact. Is a true protective front bumper needed?
Model Learnings
The model learnings seemed to be the generally acceptable placement for a baby carrier and the general viability of a simple structure. Both important and valuable learnings.
Model Execution
This was a good sketch model execution, in my opinion. A few critical questions were answered and new questions were raised.
Rebecca Thorndike-Breeze
Product Opportunity
User interview data and other research creates a very compelling case for this product concept.
Product Embodiment
Can the carrier be closer to the wheelchair user’s lap? At present, it is in a static position rather far in front of the user, which raises safety concerns. Out walking, the user will definitely want to be able to pull the carrier out of the way of oncoming cars, pedestrians, bicycles, etc.
Model Learnings
Questions very clearly stated on slides, focused on things that a sketch model can test. Key lessons also clearly presented on slides, which is all great. I would have liked to hear more about how you came to these conclusions, through testing.
Model Execution
No feedback provided
Lauren Futami
Product Opportunity
I see this being really useful and fulfilling a need in a certain space where there aren't any products that tackle the same issue.
Product Embodiment
This model looked like a good first step into exploring the various design constraints for carrying a baby on a wheelchair without compromising the regular functionality of a traditional wheelchair.
Model Learnings
This was asked during the Q&A, but I also was curious about how much the baby carrier would interfere with the wheelchair center of gravity.
Model Execution
No feedback provided
Flower-Bot
An autonomous robot that vacuums, scrubs, and UVC sterilizes tables at quick service restaurants.
Reviewer Feedback
Braunstein
Product Opportunity
Flower bot. It was great you spoke to some restaurants - that is commendable. Keep it up. The opportunity: who is your competitor? It's not iRobot. It's a rag and bleach. When compared to the existing solution, is the proposed solution compelling enough to innovate in the space? Yes, the car drove on the table. How do you clean the car, empty the car, power the car? It would be interesting to get feedback from the same eateries regarding those types of tradeoffs. If they knew they needed outlets at every table, would that work? If they had to charge in the evening, how would they respond? When speaking to people, make sure to convey the tradeoffs honestly. BTW - for UV sterilization, you will need considerable power. Please investigate the feasibility of power. Think about life cycle and use case. Who services, what costs, who cleans and empties, etc. etc. I enjoyed the quirkiness of the flower pot, and appreciate how you discovered that table real estate is valuable. But, I'm not convinced the embodiment is addressing the fundamentals in a compelling enough manner to get restaurants to pay.
Product Embodiment
No feedback provided
Model Learnings
No feedback provided
Model Execution
No feedback provided
Deepali Kishnani
Product Opportunity
Definitely a need in the market. So many times I have had to wait for a table because staff wasn't available in the restaurant to clean it. I certainly see multiple use cases and need of the product.
Product Embodiment
Yes, It's nicely visualised with an extra added touch of making it aesthetic with a flower pot.
Model Learnings
My only worry would be how the waste would be cleaned up later and how the instrument would clean different types of waste on different types of tables.
Model Execution
Well executed!
Keith Clavin
Product Opportunity
I can certainly see the need here. In places like Panera, which I believe are now the most popular in the country, there is little time and staff dedicated to table cleanliness. If there can be a product that will assist in this while minimizing the loss of table space area, I certainly see a benefit.
Product Embodiment
The model here is an improvement from the earlier version of the slide model. Incorporating the device into a decorum of some sort and matches with the general tone of these restaurants where form needs to be functional.
Model Learnings
Nice statement of the questions. They are clear and specific. You are candid about the challenges and make a compelling case as to why the product should exist, although a little more technical detail will be necessary for that case to become completely persuasive.
Model Execution
No feedback provided
Chuck Xia
Product Opportunity
Flower-bot - I can't imagine it being more time efficient (if you account for maintaining and cleaning the flower bot itself after it clean the table) then a restaurant worker. The problem is cleaning the table taking too much time, or is it annoy to clean table with a lot of mess.
Product Embodiment
The product vision is on point.
Model Learnings
The design of the product is well through out to be non-disruptive. The problem is cleaning table time and effort, then the more interesting question might have been how well can it clean a dried up sticky goop.
Model Execution
The model is well executed. The live demo was well done.
Rich Wiesman
Product Opportunity
I don't believe the product opportunity, as it has evolved, is a good one. You said that restaurants need an effective and autonomous table cleaner, but the product proposed seems very questionable for this. Power will be needed along with the ability to pickup and store more than just crumbs. Take a look at what gets left behind on tables. Plates, napkins. utensils and all sorts of food, liquids and wrappers. Would your device simply push these onto the floor? If a buss person needs to be sent to the table for heavy pickup and cleaning, is there really anything gained by having this device? Maybe the overall product need is there, but the approach of using an autonomous table top device is not a good solution.
Product Embodiment
No, for the reasons stated above, I don't believe the proposed approach is good for restaurant table cleanups.
Model Learnings
I don't feel that the model shown was very useful at learning. It was cute to show a device moving around the table top (we had a past 2.009 project called sushi bot). However, simpler approaches would have shown what was needed for cleaning and scrubbing. Again, debris and liquid pickup and holding was also something that should have been tested. Until you have these down, it sems like cute forms and other things are secondary.
Model Execution
The execution seemed aimed more at a cute moving flower pot rather than testing for a small low power device that could clean and hold debris.
Rebecca Thorndike-Breeze
Product Opportunity
No feedback provided
Product Embodiment
The name “Flower Bot” obscures the purpose of the concept. I thought initially this was for houseplant enthusiasts. Beyond that, the illustrations and sketch models do offer a coherent vision. I’m concerned that the Roomba-style concept will quite regularly fall off the tables. You note in your lessons learned that if you can serve multiple purposes (hold napkins and plants, etc.), you can take up more space, which seems to be key. Rather than having a roomba run around the table, having a mounted device that can move back and forth (like the illustration from 6 ideas) might be able to get a better clean, while also staying safely mounted to the table.
Model Learnings
Questions very clearly stated on slides, focused on things that a sketch model can test. Key lessons also clearly presented on slides. Great. Well done explaining the testing process and how it informs your next steps.
Model Execution
No feedback provided
Lauren Futami
Product Opportunity
I am a little skeptical about how this might be better than replacing a restaurant worker to clean tables, especially if the restaurant needs one Flower Bot for each table, whereas one restaurant workers could clean all of the tables.
Product Embodiment
Did the restaurants that you reached out respond positively with the idea of Flower Bot?
Model Learnings
No feedback provided
Model Execution
It looked like the team was able to answer whether or not it was possible to clean certain debris and stains on the table. I'm still unsure about whether or not this would be wanted for tables.
Knee Reliever
An adjustable kneeling seat to reduce knee discomfort when performing low-lying tasks.
Reviewer Feedback
Braunstein
Product Opportunity
Knee reliever. Per our pre-presentation conversations, the use case needs refinement (which is why we do what what we do). Now is a good time to recruit people in your target area and to further refine the offering. Without more data, it's hard to say how compelling the need. Target the design to your user - sketch model is a good start. I imagine weight, storage, etc are issues. Maybe sketch up more concepts that are aligned to the use case and solicit feedback from that user. Either DIYer or gardener, car mechanic, etc. etc.
Product Embodiment
No feedback provided
Model Learnings
No feedback provided
Model Execution
No feedback provided
Deepali Kishnani
Product Opportunity
I do believe that the product has a need in the market.
Product Embodiment
It's on the right track but I'd also think about having a back support. I had a cycle at home with similar sitting pad and it was supper uncomfortable without a back support. Might want to do more user testing to determine the convenience and comfort.
Model Learnings
Portability and adjustments need to be taken in account further. For instance, I may want to bend but not bend low enough that I touch the ground - since bending can be at different heights - can we make the seat height adjustable?
Model Execution
As a starting point, well executed!
Keith Clavin
Product Opportunity
Knee and back pain are major hindrances to individuals and seem to have reached an almost universal scale. A product for those who garden and/or deal with low spaces for extended periods of time is a great idea.
Product Embodiment
I would like to see the product in use a little more or, at least, hear more on how the mechanism works. I'm note sure I am grasping how this particular version permits one's arms to remain active (it seems like the bars are somewhat high and would prevent elbows bending fully), but I may be missing an important point somewhere.
Model Learnings
The four questions are fruitful and central to the product's future and, I think, present a mature self-awareness of possible critiques that would be raised in future iterations.
Model Execution
No feedback provided
Chuck Xia
Product Opportunity
Knee Reliever - I can see the need for it, personally would have love it when putting down wooden flooring and tiles, also gardening.
Product Embodiment
The vision is on track. You can start building on the current model, as mention in slide cheat support, adjustable points etc. Portability and design of the product differ based on the user. Grandmother moving it around vs construction worker carry it around with equipment.
Model Learnings
User interviews are informative.
Model Execution
Yay for demoing the model live. Love to see a side by side measurement of the pressure on the knee and angle at the knee with and without the product.
Rich Wiesman
Product Opportunity
There are a number of wheeled seats available for both work on hard floors (garages, decks, etc) and for work in gardens. In our home we have two different garage seats for low work on cars (we have a lot of projects); and for gardening, we have a rolling garden seat that is pretty low and has larger wheels for rolling on garden surfaces. We also have kneeling pads. While the garden seat may not get one in the same position as a kneeling pad, it does have a lot of comfort compared to being even on a padded knee surface. The market is clearly there, but do you truly have a better and more desired solution? I think careful consumer testing will be needed.
Product Embodiment
Again, your embodiment needs to picked up for movement. If you add chest support and keep the seat support and the arms, how light weight can your product be? Will it still be light enough that picking it up for every movement is acceptable? Take another look at all existing solutions and then think about acceptable weights and the weights you can achieve with reasonable cost-effective materials.
Model Learnings
I think you learned a great deal about access to low work areas and about what users might want and need. More testing is needed, but you have made a good start.
Model Execution
This was a good sketch model. Not the end solution, but a good model for initial tests and learning.
Rebecca Thorndike-Breeze
Product Opportunity
Home improvement projects, broadly, do not consistently require kneeling. Gardening does, though passionate gardeners with knee pain have been known to build tall raised beds, so they don’t need to kneel. Landscaping, though, can’t be raised like that. I’d like to see the team work to better identify the user need for this concept, and allow that to shape the design. If this will become an assistive tool for gardeners, for example, that will shape the design choices in specific ways (dealing with dirt/cleaning; materials that can stand to be outdoors, probably stored in sheds or basements, etc.)
Product Embodiment
The current product vision looks more like a piece of equipment I’d find in an occupational or physical therapy office. If you plan to target gardeners, as you reported your users saying, weight and portability are major issues. I’m not sure such large (or any) handlebars will be feasible for the gardenting use case.
Model Learnings
No feedback provided
Model Execution
No feedback provided
Lauren Futami
Product Opportunity
The versatility of this idea looks like it would be useful for lots of people for various activities!
Product Embodiment
I liked that the sketch model was tested for different activities to show where its strengths and weaknesses might be.
Model Learnings
Were there different form factors that looked promising after testing this initial sketch model?
Model Execution
No feedback provided
Wheelchair ContROLL
A device for wheelchairs to passively dampen high speeds, preventing uncontrollable descent down ramps and hills.
Reviewer Feedback
Braunstein
Product Opportunity
See my comments about wheelchair domain in the baby carrier section. Same principles apply here. I would have liked to hear more about the transition from your original thinking of recreation to the wheelchair space. What motivated such a change? What was the key discovery that prompted such a shift. Be careful with the term "brake". I don't think you have this as much as a speed limiter. This may have confused a few people. I am surprised that I haven't seen a speed limiter, but I also haven't heard that running out of control at speed is a n issue. In short, I don't know enough about the problem to express a view on the opportunity. I do know that the wheelchair space is very saturated, and while the cause is a noble one, I have witnessed many related projects (in professional circles as well as academic) that don't gain any traction. This is largely due to the small market and inability to offer a standard solution to a highly un-standardized and already refined market/device. Get more data and tread carefully.
Product Embodiment
see above
Model Learnings
see above
Model Execution
see above
Peter Nielsen
Product Opportunity
No feedback provided
Product Embodiment
Take a look at Areta, 2.009 in 2019 used an eddy current brake, responsive in proportion to rotational speed and variable by adjusting the magnet spacing or placement
Model Learnings
No feedback provided
Model Execution
No feedback provided
Deepali Kishnani
Product Opportunity
I do believe in the need of the product but would dive deeper to figure what causes the issue - is it the design of the ramp or of the wheelchair?
Product Embodiment
The product would probably comprise several other components on a wheelchair and the one that was demoed was a good start.
Model Learnings
Yes, but it wasn't clear how the break issue was solved
Model Execution
Yes, but it wasn't clear how the break issue was solved
Keith Clavin
Product Opportunity
Great job justifying the product and describing the many hazards, challenges, and discomforts of stopping a wheelchair in different situations.
Product Embodiment
Fascinating idea for stopping/slowing the wheelchair. I'd like to hear a little more about alternate versions of brakes on chairs and how yours corresponds, would also like to hear a little more on how the bands work exactly when employed by someone sitting in the chair.
Model Learnings
Two definitive and constructive question posed for future review. This is a very complex project, so it is critical to be honest with yourselves about what needs to be done and the feasibility of such things, and it seems you all are doing that.
Model Execution
No feedback provided
Chuck Xia
Product Opportunity
Wheelchair ContRoll - going down hill on a wheel chair can be dangerous if out of control. Training and practice could solve some of the problem. However, I think adding more controls/or automatic electromechanical components would add to the confusion for a novel user.
Product Embodiment
The physical product vision isn't clear, is it passive, manual, or automatic?
Model Learnings
The critical questions is how to have the wheelchair with the user roll downhill in a controlled speed. It is the right question, but the model didn't answer the question.
Model Execution
The works like model is confusing/.I think the idea was to use the elastic cord to simulate a spring, but I don't see how it can be build into the wheel chair. The looks like model isn't informative on what the product could look like. The size and dimension of the components needs to be based on spec, and the sketches are too general.
Rich Wiesman
Product Opportunity
The wheel chair market is relatively small and much of that market will not support the cost of new accessories and improvements. In the US, many wheelchairs are paid for through medical insurance compensation. Better chairs and accessories are typically covered by private payment. If the problem was a truly compelling one, then why hasn't the problem been addressed by the larger wheelchair manufacturers and covered by insurance compensation? I would want to see a significant user study along with records of wheelchair accidents that are associated with runaway speeds before concluding that the need was significant.
Product Embodiment
The embodiment you described had either a tire driven cutch and damper or a wheel mounted clutch and damper. It wasn't clear at what speed the clutch would grab. Most centrifical clutches I've used need a pretty high speed to activate, so I doubt that a direct-to-hub clutch would be of much good. A tire driven clutch (higher speed) might work well, and then the energy would go into a damper (energy from slowing the chair) and that heat needs to be dissipated. How about using the old style bike generators that ran off of the tires and run the energy from the generator into a resistor grid which creates heat and dissipates that heat into the air. This is how most modern locomotives slow down. An alternative is to run the braking energy into a storage battery and use that energy for lights or other purposes. Electronic control of the generator output could leave the circuit open at lower speeds and modulate the circuit at higher speeds to electronically control the braking force.
Model Learnings
It's not clear what the model taught. The resistance bands are just a "softer" way of slowing the chair with a rope. The bands behave like long springs. Riding a conventional chair with brakes should teach the same thing -- a feeling of speed control on down inclines. The work to place a centrifical clutch and damper in a chair could be efficiently done with a cad model. In fact, a cad model would allow trying placement of a clutch damper in many locations. Was there ever a doubt that a clutch and damper could be added to the chair? Was a cardboard model really needed?
Model Execution
Again, it seems like a CAD based model for various placements of a clutch and damper might be faster and offer more variations to test fit placement. The bands or long springs are just another way to deliver braking to a non-braked chair. Maybe comparing the feel of a braked chair to a non-braked chair would be the same test. In the end, the testing probably needs to be done by a real chair user who can compare the feel of a chair with and without the damping functions.
Rebecca Thorndike-Breeze
Product Opportunity
It is unclear from the presentation whether all wheelchairs come with brakes. This makes me realize I had been assuming they did -- is the argument here that wheelchairs can be less expensive if this new type of automatic brakes are adopted?
Product Embodiment
No feedback provided
Model Learnings
No feedback provided
Model Execution
No feedback provided
Lauren Futami
Product Opportunity
How ineffective are the current brakes and how often are wheelchair users in situations where they aren't able to adequately brake?
Product Embodiment
The testing of different ideas to brake the wheelchair all looked promising!
Model Learnings
No feedback provided
Model Execution
No feedback provided