Thesis

We aim to create a wearable piece that offers protection and personal space for the user. The spikes on the sides are movable—providing safety and keeping other people away when pointed outward, while appearing more welcoming when pointing inward. This idea came from our desire to show instead of tell how some people want to have their own space, but also how that same person can want to have people around.

Key Design Objectives

• Create a personal space bubble for the wearer
• Discourage people from getting too close

• Create a sense of warmth and safety
• Invite people in
• Look pretty and eye catching

When flaps are out:

When flaps are in:

Precedents

Sketches

Hi-Fi Prototypes

Wearable

Prototype 1

Prototype 2

Prototype 2

Prototype 3 

Prototype 3 

Prototype 3 

Hi-Fi Prototypes

Flaps

Prototype 1

This was our first Hi-Fi prototype for the flaps. The design idea came from our desire to incorporate spikes that looked more like the initial project along with more realistic feathers. This was designed on Rhino and laser cut onto plywood.

Pros:

Cons:

• Looks cool
• Easy to make
• Would do good at keeping people away

• A little too heavy
• Doesn't fit well with the motor
• Doesn't really fit our vision and what we want to communicate

Prototype 1 - Video

Prototype 2

This was our second Hi-Fi prototype for the flaps. The design is very similar in concept to the last one, only this time the spikes are more rigid, the feathers are bigger, the material is less heavy, and the bottom tapers off to better fit with the motor.

Pros:

Cons:

• Still looks cool
• Easy to make
• Would do good at keeping people away
• Light enough for the motor
• Closer to our vision

• The feathers were still too sharp and didn't communicate what we wanted them to

Prototype 2 - Video

Prototype 3

This was our third Hi-Fi prototype for the flaps. The design was the same as the feathers in the last two prototypes but this time we were trying out having clusters of feathers without the spikes and experimenting with different kinds of movement using hinges and string.

Pros:

Cons:

• Interesting movement
• Looks cool in a different way

• Too heavy
• Hinges were hard to attach
• Movement was harder to manage
• Feather shape still too sharp

Prototype 3 - Video

Final Product