design portfolio

KAREN DITKOPORTFOLIO 2011

5 week project to design a kitchen appliance to enter into the Electrolux Design Lab Competition 2011

VÄRMA

DESIGN INSPIRATIONThis project was designed with the criteria for the Electrolux Desgn Lab Competition 2011 in mind. These criteria included intelligent mobility, personalization, user inspiration, existing technology utilization, and Scandinavian design values.

PROBLEM: Current toasters are a host of a plethora of problems that have not been addressed since the first modern toaster was produced in 1926.

Can’t see toast as it’s toasting

Toast popping can be startling

Settings vary wildly between toasters, and range from untouched to charred crisp

Settings are sometimes useless or confusing

“Vintage toasters are historic artifacts that track our nation’s design ideals over the past century.”

-Eric Norcross, founder of the Toaster Museum Foundation

Interior coils unevenly toast bread

Scandinavian design often incorporates bent plywood and simple geometry and curves. Modern toaster designs vary in exterior design, but all still have the same internal components and funcitonality and therefore the problems inherent with those components and functions.

Since toasters are most often found in kitchens, understanding Scandinavian kitchen design was also important. Bright colors and clean lines were prelevant in most examples.

OBJECTIVE: To design a toaster that solves common toasting problems and incorporates Scandinavian design aesthetics

Concept ideation began with the idea that the bread should not be in a static position in the toaster to allow for a more even toasting experience. Several configurations of toasting direction were considered, finally landing on an angled vertical toaster.

SOLUTION: Angled vertical toaster. Bread toasts evenly and consistently falls to the same side when it comes out the other side.

One big window poses the problem of inconsistent heat insulation

A series of differently-sized windows gives visial interest.

A series of smaller windows would allow for more insulating material whilse still allowing the user to see their toast

FEATURES

A window to view toast as it’s toasting to ensure the correct level of toasting is an important feature. Progressively bigger windows across the unit imply motion and the larger windows near the done side allow for the most viewing potential at the critical point of the toasting process.

LED screen to choose desired toast darkness Programmable settings Eject button IR plate sensor

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Angled design for predictable toast landings and minimal countertop space consumption

Scandinavian aesthetics

Windows to see toast in progress

Programmable settings

One week sketching and modeling exercise to make an ergonomic hand-held electronic device.

CALCULATOR

Iterations began with aspirations of making an ambidextrous calculator, but a single-handed calculator allowed for more creative forms.

14 week research and design project to be entered in the 2010 iF competitionEQUESTRIAN

BODY PROTECTOR

EQUESTRIANBODY PROTECTOR

THE PROBLEMSince many of the obstacles are large and intimidating looking, the horse and/or rider will misjudge how to navigate through them. When the horse and rider fails to clear an obstacle is when most injuries occur. This situation usually results in one of two outcomes: a refusal or a rotational fall. A refusal is when the horse suddenly stops before or while it is taking off to attempt to clear the obstacle. This sudden stop causes the rider to be thrown forward and often results in a fall. If a fall occurs, the rider will either hit the obstacle or the ground which can result in injury. A rotational fall is when the horse misjudges the size of the jump and ends up hitting it with its front legs after takeoff, which causes the horse to somersault mid air. This is the most dangerous kind of fall because it catapults the rider off the horse and the horse can land on top of the rider causing serious crush injuries and in many cases, death.

A body protector can help minimize injury, especially to the ribcage and vital organs.

REFUSAL ROTATIONAL FALL

There is 1 injury per every 14 hours of cross country riding 20% of injuries sustained require hospitalization

Approximately 60% of serious injuries are to the neck, head and spine

Thoraco-lumbar (mid- and lower back) injuries are the most common spinal injury

Between 2006 and 2008, 16 riders and 13 horses died of injuries sustained during cross country competitions

1 ASTM approved helmet

• Required for all equestrian activities

• Must fit properly and have chin strap

2 Body protector• Does not have to carry any

safety rating• Protects ribcage and vital organs• Does not protect the spine

3 Medical armband• Contains critical information for

emergency personnell in case of a fall resulting in unconsciousness. It includes health history, doctor contact information, insurance information and emergency contacts

4 Gloves• Give the rider more control and

grip on the reins• Only minimally protect hands in

the event of a fall

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REQUIRED SAFETY EQUIPMENT

Popular body protectors are manufactured by Tipperary, Charles Owen, and Hit-Air. Body protectors are rated by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) and the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA). BETA offers three levels of approval. BETA 3 level is the only appropriate level for the sport, but the most popular vests only carry a BETA 1 rating.

RIDER SURVEY46 cross country riders were surveyed about their current body protectors. They were asked about what kind of body protector they have, and whether or not they’ve experienced a fall and injuries while wearing it. They were also asked what features they like, what features they dislike, and what they would like to see in future body protectors. This information was used to determine what sort of protection cross country riders need, and what sort of equipment they would be willing to wear.

15% know the BETA rating of their body protector

51% own Tipperary body protectors

22% own Charles Owen body protectors

67% know if their body protector is ASTM approved

70% have experienced a cross country fall. All were wearing their body protectors during the fall

22% of those falls resulted in injury

Helmets and gloves are the most common safety equipment worn in addition to the body protector

The most common injury suffered were head injuries. Other injuries include, neck, back, rib, and arm injuries.

83% believe that their body protectors helped prevent more serious injury

Bulkiness, awkwardness, discomfort, restrictiveness, and lack of ventilation are common complaints

Feeling of security, flexibility, adjustability, and lightness are positive features

More neck protection is a feature many of those surveyed would like to see in future body protectors

Body protection for other equivalent sports such as motocross and mountain biking is much more extensive and effective, seeing as these sports carry similar risks but have fewer injuries overall than cross country horseback riding

The body protector is broken up into three parts: the undershit, the chest protector, and the spine protector. Having three different parts means that the sizing of each part can be chosen based on the wearer’s proportions.

Inflatable body protectors are becoming more and more popular, due to the decreased size and increased effectiveness in preventing injury.

d3o and expanded polypropylene are both lightweight, impact-absorbing materials often used in body protection equipment

The final base layer design is made of a breathable spandex shirt with incorporated d3o panels that protect the collarbone, shoulders, ribcage, and hips. This shirt can be worn during the whole course of the competition, providing additional protection and comfort throughout the day.

The chest protector features EPP panels that protect the ribcage and collarbone. The segmented panel design allows the chest protector to be form-fitting. Velcro closures on the side allow the rider to adjust fit to comfortably protect all sizes of chests.

The spine protector features a line of EPP panels down the back and an CO

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airbag folded into the top. The trigger tether for the airbag attaches toward the bottom left of the spine protector for minimal obtrusiveness. Left-side placement will help the rider to remember to unhook it from the saddle while dismounting to avoid accidental triggering. The spine protector wraps around the back and attaches via velcro straps on the shoulders and sides.

The airbag automatically inflates when the trigger tether is broken. It is folded into the top of the spine protector with plastic snaps keeping it in place than can be easily detached when the airbag inflates. When the airbag is inflated, it wraps around the rider’s neck, therefore minimizing or preventing serious neck injury.

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2011 Summer internship in Santo Stefano Ticino, Italy

LUMEN CENTER

During my internship at Lumen Center Italia, I was given the task of expanding their marine light line. These were eventually exhibited at the 2011 Geneva Yacht Show.

13 week group project to solve a problem involving water

LUNA

The water problem we chose to address was conserving water in the home. Through a long series of iterations and discussions, we finally settled on designing a bathroom faucet.

We iterated until we decided to make a form that was unlike any other bathroom sink, but was still intuitive to use.

In addition to sketching, to achieve a unique yet intuitive form we also made several models of our ideas to test their usability.

The final result was Luna. The faucet: innovated

Touch controls

Part line indicates movement

Water spout

Internally housed controls

Material change dictates touch

Glowing rings indicate water temperature

Unique sink basin design

Laminar flow is quiet with minimal splashing against sink

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6”

17”

Along with the faucet, we designed a sink that reflects the faucet’s design features. This sink allows the user to pool water for various uses without wasting water filling the whole basin.

Luna’s unique interface allows for pre-heating and pre-cooling of water, saving hundreds of gallons of water per year that are wasted waiting for water to get to the correct temperature. The roling action allows for a range of angles for a variety of uses

laminar flow nozzle Luna faucet prototype

Finally, a working prototype was constructed out of our model we 3D pritned from Solidworks and Rhino files as a proof of concept