Kiran LakhaniSan Franciscoabsolutkiran@gmail.com404.641.3541

iPad accessory for backyard exploration.The iexplore addresses the surge of technology in the lives of children.

Keeps the physical interaction alive in toys and games.

Develops their motor skills andunderstanding of the physical environment.

Through user interviews and observations, I gathered insights about the way children interact with nature and with the iPad, their interests and the concerns parents have with how their chil-dren play.

Julien is allowed limited ac-cess to smart devices as par-ents prefer him to interact more with the outdoors.

Joanie believes technological toys enhance learning but can also lead to brain damage.

Pascale gives her child the iPad when she cries, as a last resort, to keep her calm.

User Research

Design Insights...

» Children are getting more and more interested in playing with their parents smart devices.

» They lose track of time in the outdoors and can easily maintain fo-cus while playing there.

» Children have an innate curiosity which thrives in the outdoor environ-ment.

I organized my research in the form of a map that breaks down the process of backyard play. This lead me to understand what the user is most drawn to interacting with in the backyard, among other activities.

Plants

Enters the Garden

Playing Make-Believe

Sandbox

Visits straw-berry bushTests out

basil plant by eating leaf

Collects fallen petals of flowers

Checks new plants for growth level

Superman

Sword fights

Bug Search

On patio Scanning grass

Looking for spiders

Puts worms in a jar to keep them safe

Clear away toys: Making space to sit

Excavating sand

Use shovel to make sand piles

Area of Focus

Observation Map

Children are leading increasingly sedentary lifestyles. Due to the technological revolution, they are drawn to staying indoors, watching television, playing video games and smart devices. There is a need to incorporate the natural world into play.

In interacting with a digital screen, children exhibit*:

» Mood swings » Aggressive behavior » Become reclusive

Problem...

Rather than ignoring the surge of technology, how might we bring a balance between this and interaction with nature?

Why do we need the iexplore?

Data from CDC, National Health Survey, 2010

*From a study conducted by Akio Mori, a profes-sor at Tokyo’s Nihon University

%

To further narrow down this area, I did a thor-ough analysis of the current market for explora-tion toys and other related products which helped me understand the area of opportunity.

Product Audit

Physical

Virtual

Entertainment Educational/Exploratory

Toy garden $40Fisher-Price FP3 Player $55

Painting EaselPBS Kids Block City $40

Hasbro 3D Viewer for iPhone $60

WOOGIE (iPhone case) $20

Color Studio $30

Lightboard for iPad $40

Franklin Spelling

Magnifying glass $5

Area of Opportunity

Bug Playground $15

Bug Catcher $10

TAG by LeapFrog$50

LeapPad Tablet$100

Leapster Explorer $70

Ebook about ani-mals

iMommy App

Discover your body App

Aquarium App

Baking AppPainting App

Through concept models I experimented with various features and, by testing with children, narrowed down those that were most appealing and easy to navigate in the backyard environment.

Ideation Models

Ideation Sketches

Inspiration

Visceral

Direct

Tactile

The iexplore brings back interaction with the natural world while not ignoring the presence of technology.

Observation Map

Frame contains a powerful digital zoom lens which projects a magnified image of the vile sample onto the iPad screen.

Vile with leaf sample

CaptureDiscover Store

User Interaction with Nature and Technology

Home screen with three options: Micro-scope, camera and image library

Touches the microscope button

Puts ladybug in vile Inserts vile with ladybug sample Folder icon to put screen shot in library

Storyboard

Turkish Coffee MakerSimplifies the ancient art of Turkish coffee brewing and makes it a fun social activity.

Turkish coffee making process, up until now, has been designed to happen in the kitchen environment, away from the living space-where people come together. It has also not been designed as a complete system, that is, the coffee pot and heating element have been two entirely separate structures, disconnected visually and functionally.

User ResearchUser ResearchUser Research

“I enjoy making Turkish coffee at home but I always worry that it will spill while I’m not watching because it froths so quickly.”

“It’s hard to tell how to brew the perfect cup of Turkish cof-fee as it depends on the rate at which heat is dispersed in the mixture.”

“I have to remove myself from the social environment when making the coffee and miss out on the conversation.”

Insights...

•Making process is not conducive to ceremonial culture embedded in the history of Turkish coffee •Coffee pot and heat source do not pair well in form and function

Opportunities...

How might we eliminate the frustra-tion of coffee spilling when the user is not looking?

How might we incorporate the coffee making experience in the social setting?

How might we better suit the heat source to the coffee pot?

User Research

Turkish Architecture Traditional Material: Ceramic

Heat Disbursement

Grooves for sheet metal inlay

Testing glazesShaping form

I took inspiration from the cultural significance of Turk-ish coffee of bringing people together and from iconic forms such as classical Ottoman architecture. I also took cue from the natural shape of a flame to give a visual understanding of the way the product functions.

Inspiration and Process

Ceremonial Culture of Turkish Coffee

User ResearchIn my ideation sketches I explored the relationship between the coffee pot and the heat source while still keeping with the tradition of the flame being the heat source.

Concept Sketches

User ResearchProgressing into 3D form study, I further explored how the pot is held by the maker and the strength tolerance of the maker. I also studied and the nature of the con-tact of the pot to the heat source and how to achieve the perfect brew.

Ideation Models

User ResearchThe final product was made from B-mix clay and perforated aluminium. A fully functioning prototype, the heat source was a removable dish filled with Sterno gel. The handle position of the Turkish coffee pot used, being on the outside, was extracted and welded inside to enable ease of sliding in and out of the coffee maker. Having tested the amount of heat and brewing time

needed to make perfect Turkish coffee, I glazed the ceramic parts on the outside and kept them unglazed inside to ensure exact, consistent and uniform heating.

Removable dish that can be re-filled with Sterno gel.

Perforated aluminium sheet metal to dissipate heat easily, preventing over-heating. Stylistically, the perforations echo intricate Arabesque patterns prevalent in Turkish crafts and architecture but make it modern and easy to manufacture.

Product Details

User ResearchThe Qahwa coffee maker promotes relaxed social atmosphere, embracing the ceremonial practice of Turkish coffee making. It is made in the social setting, without the worry of monitoring the coffee pot. It also becomes a fun activity to do with friends.

Storyboard

Putting grounds in pot Placing pot on maker No need to monitor pot

Flame extinguishes by itself and coffee is ready

Pouring into small cups Coffee divination for fun

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peb

ble A device to assist in leading a healthy,

active lifestyle.

Kept in the pocket as a keepsake, it records the daily calorie burn up.

It monitors the user’s daily level of activity and gently encourages them to make healthy changes to their lifestyle.

Keeps track of your daily fitness level.

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User ResearchUser ResearchIn my research I discovered that those who have busy schedules and who do not have time to exercise suffer from guilt of not keeping an active enough lifestyle to be healthy.

User Research and InspirationUser Research

Bill.......................................

“At this age, I have lost interest and motivation to exercise”

Susan.......................................

“I have two kids and a full-time job and am not able to take time out for exercise”

Kendra.......................................

“I try to workout and stay healthy but being in school has made this difficult”

Jessica.......................................

“Fitness and being aware of my progress in a systematic way is very important”

Arlene.......................................

“Being a housewife in-volves so much work that its hard to even remember to exercise”

Adrianne.......................................

“I end up staying long hours in the office and don’t get time to workout”

User Research and Inspiration

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User ResearchUser ResearchUser Research and InspirationUser ResearchUser ResearchIn my sketches I explored various forms the de-vice would take with consideration of ergonomic comfort and ease with which the device would be held and placed in the users’ pocket.

Concept Sketches

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User ResearchUser ResearchI further explored ergonomics, the different ways the device would be worn and the location of the interface. The final model took the form inspired by a pebble, with an iconic relevance to a worry stone.

Ideation Models and Final Model Process

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User ResearchUser ResearchUser Research and InspirationUser ResearchUser ResearchThe user can put it in her pocket to monitor her calorie burn up at any other time of day to quantitatively assess how active she has been, hence if needed, prompting her to make neces-sary changes to her lifestyle.

Product Details and User Experience

USB interface

User keeps it on her person when sitting station-ary at her desk and in the car. Logs in informa-tion on her laptop at the end of the day.

Chrome finished aluminium bio-feedback sensor

LED screen shows day, heart rate and calories burnt.

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User ResearchSketches

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User ResearchUser ResearchAs

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User ResearchInspiration

Kiran LakhaniSan Francisco, CA

404.641.3541absolutkiran@gmail.com

Design Experience

GEO Television NetworkKarachi, Pakistan

Worked at a fast-paced TV network where I produced promotional videos for a ground-breaking, thought-provoking documentary series introducing insights global politics and social issues that were taboo to the local public. I conducted first hand, field research gathering information in dangerous environments and I used my findings to create storyboards for the production of documentaries aired weekly. I also worked with professionals from a variety of creative disciplines and business and administrative backgrounds.

Maheen FashionsKarachi, Pakistan

Delegated as lead design researcher and conducted a comprehensive survey of the age-old, local culture of Truck Art and its influence on the cannon of Pakistan’s artistic heritage. This formed the ethos of Maheen’s then upcoming store, Gulabo.I composed designs that were inspired by embodied the sentiment of the truck art culture but adapted them to current fashion trends. I also worked side by side with embroiderers to ensure an exact execution of my design intent. In addition I contributed to Gulabo’s promotional campaign, including its website.

Abdullah Shah Ghazi ShrineKarachi, Pakistan

Collaborated on a mural that commented on the problem of drug addiction that is rampant in youth in the surrounding community. It portrayed children being lured into drugs by drug lords. This received the attention of the local broadcast media channels and sparked dialogue about a once taboo topic.

Other Experiences

Montessori School at EmoryAtlanta, GA

I was the lead art teacher for children between the ages of 2 to 13 and assumed sole responsibility of introducing principles of visual art to children at various stages in artistic development.

Commune Art Gallery and Artist CommunityKarachi, Pakistan

I was an Art Instructor, Guide and Counselor to children with Down syndrome and Autism, at a painting workshop the gallery held for special needs children and I assisted children with communication through art.

I am a Junior Industrial Design student, with a priordegree in Painting. I am looking for a 3-6 month internship and have a focus in Product, Systems and Human Factors design. My pursuit of Industrial Design and interest in systems design is inseparable from my desire to create meaningful improvement in people’s lives

Awards

Best in ShowExhibition Less is More, Simplicity Leads to SustainabilityAtlanta, GA

Skills

• Work in a cross-disciplinary methodology• Inventing new processes• Assuming sole responsibility of a project• Design systems thinking• Ability to work with limited resources in developing a product

• Ideation sketching• Storyboarding• PU Foam Modeling• Ceramic modeling• Rhinoceros• Solidworks• Keyshot• Bunkspeed shot • Adobe Illustrator• Adobe Photoshop• Adobe InDesign• Corel Painter

Education

BFA, Industrial DesignCalifornia College of the ArtsSan Francisco, CA

BFA, PaintingIndus Valley School of Art and ArchitectureKarachi, Pakistan

Kiran LakhaniSan Franciscoabsolutkiran@gmail.com404.641.3541

Thank you