Tuesday, October 12, 2010

ADMT-Elderly challenge_Reflection

Reflection


What have you learnt?

I learnt how to generate and analyse ideas through critical thinking and how to manage the schedule of multiple parts of the task. Like organising the dates so I can do the prototype, the multimedia presentation or the journal. I learnt how to organise the information inside the journal and what information to include in it. I found out where can I go and find the materials I need for my prototype.


What difficulties have I encountered?

I was not sure how to make the prototype show the product’s function the way I want it to. I was not sure what to include in the ADMT journal. I did not know what type of media to use in the multimedia presentation.


How did I overcome the difficulties I have encountered?

I realised I cannot mimic the full-scale, actual product’s design so I improvised and just made the look of what happens when the product is activated. I listened to what Ms Seah said and put whatever information that was required into the journal. I thought for some time on what type of media to use in the multimedia presentation and decided to make a simple advertisement as it is more attractive, more memorable, more interesting and it is easier for them to understand the explanation of the product.


Friday, September 24, 2010

Reflection - Prototype

1. What are the difficulties that you have encountered during the process?

It was difficult sometimes to differentiate which is qualitative and quantitative. Figuring out what exactly is to be done is also a problem as I sometimes get confused with what we are supposed to do.

2. How do you overcome the difficulties encountered?

We just discussed a lot so we can come up with the ideas and subsequently, arrange them in a logical manner to present to the class.

3. What are the 2 key takeaways for this lesson?

First, we must be detailed in our description of the situation. Second, we must understand how to differentiate what is qualitative and what is quantitative.


Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Ergonomics (Product description and Idea Trigger)


i) It is multi-functional and simple as it can be used to brush things and peel skins. It is simple as you can see from the picture above so people will easily know how to use the brush. The grip of the brush is not good enough.

ii) They must think of whether it is user-friendly, how can it be stored, and whether the design is able to perform all its functions properly.

iii) No.

iv) The grip can be made better by designing the surface of the handle to follow the contours of the hand, together with the corrugation, it would be very easy to grip.
(the sketch of the improved version of the brush is above)

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Ergonomics II

1. What is Ergonomics?

The scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance.

Bold

2. What are the 5 aspects of Ergonomics?

They are safety, aesthetics, comfort, ease of use and productivity/performance.


3. For each aspects of Ergonomics, explain with an example of a product that is designed for the elderly, how the product meet that particular aspect of Ergonomics.


Comfort: E.g. Alarm clock display — some displays are harshly bright, drawing one’s eye to the light or keeping one awake when surroundings are dark. Ergonomic principles could redesign this based on contrast principles and include automatic dimming functions in low-light environments (such as when a user has turned off the room lights to sleep).


Ease of use: E.g. Street Signs — in an unfamiliar area, it can be quite difficult to spot street signs. This could be addressed by using principles of visual detection to make street signs more visible.


Productivity/performance: E.g. Office furniture/equipment — the use of ergonomically designed office furniture and equipment such as office chairs and computer input devices can drastically reduce work-related injuries and employee absences.


Aesthetics: E.g. Signs in the workplace — signage could be made more aesthetic by using a consistent format throughout the workplace.


Safety: E.g. Medicine bottles — print sizes could be enlarged so the elderly with impaired vision (due to sinus problems, for example) can more easily read the label instructions. Ergonomics can discover the optimum font style, color and size to enhance readability using the limited space available on a medicine label. This will prevent the elderly from taking the wrong medicine and becoming even more ill.


Acknowledgement:

http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Ergonomics

Ergonomics I

1. Compare the 2 different workplaces, state your observations.


The second workplace is more comfortable and simple so the person can work better. If the place is simple, it will be easier for the person to find his things as he may need to findBold certain things to carry out a certain task. If the workplace is more comfortable, the person will also be able to concentrate better on his work. In the video, the person’s chair is not very well designed so he cannot maintain his posture and cannot concentrate on his work. The lighting is also not very good and has a similar bad effect on him.


2. Which workplace is preferred? State with reasons why one workplace is preferred over the other.


The second workplace. People will want to work in a more comfortable workplace as it will mean reduced stress and he will be more happy working as he will often have to sit at the workplace which can dramatically affect the person’s mood. The tidy work place is very well organised. There are a lot of free space on the desk top. The guy had no trouble working. With proper adjustable lighting, monitor screen and chair. The working environment is ideal. The guy is able to work comfortably. The specially designed chair is more ergonomic than normal ones as it can accommodate to the user’s desired comfort.


3. What are the considerations that should be taken into account when designing a workplace that is suitable for the user?

Lighting, desk space, the design of the chair, the position of the computer, a room specially designed for its purpose.

Ergonomic:
-Comfort
-Aesthetics
-Safety




Thursday, June 24, 2010

Elderly Challenge - Observation 4


I observed that many elderly people have difficulty hearing, thus it is very dangerous and risky when they go outdoors. One such example is that they cannot here cars on the road easily, increasing the possibility of an accident. They need others to be around them or hearing aids to alert them of dangers. This also makes communication troublesome and slow as the person speaking to the elderly may have to repeat what he said for the elderly to hear and understand what he is saying more clearly.


Acknowledgement:
http://www.whcenter.org/body.cfm?id=557038

Monday, June 21, 2010

Elderly Challenge - Observation 3

I observed that many elderly people have difficulty in getting out of bed as they are not as fit as they used to be. They have to either rely on someone else to help them or go through the trouble of accomplishing the task. Therefore, I came up with a design for the interior of homes (refer to holiday homework 3) to help the elderly get out of bed without the help of another person so when no one is around to help, the elderly can get themselves out of bed with ease.


As you can see, the bed is elevated high above the floor so the elderly can get seriously injured if they fall while trying to get out of bed and that since the side of the bed that we sleep on is horizontal, the elderly will have a difficult time getting out of bed as they have to lift up their upper body for a relatively large degree first.



Designs for the interior of homes for the elderly

Getting out of bed

I have come up with a bed which can fold. When the person wants to get out of bed, he just needs to press a button. The upper part of the bed will fold upwards and at the same time, the entire bed moves backwards so the person will still be at the same position but he will be sitting upright. Thus, he can get out of bed without much effort.


If the person wants to go back to bed, he can just push another button, so there are only two buttons on the controls, thus it is very user-friendly.


There is also a board above the controls for the bed so the person can use that as a support while attempting to stand up by putting his hand on the board and applying effort on it so it is easier to stand up.


There is a small mattress on the floor next to the bed so when the person is standing up, he will be less likely to slip and fall on the floor. Even if he does, since the mattress is soft, it will reduce his injuries.


Getting from one storey to another

Instead of having to climb a staircase, the person can move from one storey to another by being carried up or down on a movable platform. This is safer and faster than climbing a flight of stairs. There will be a remote which the elderly person will use to control the platform’s movement. There will be a detector attached to the bottom of the platform so whenever someone or an object is under the platform, the detector will make a sound to alert the user that there is something beneath the platform and the platform will not move until the object or person is no longer under it.





Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Elderly Challenge - Observation 2

Eyesight problems

I observed that the elderly’s eyesight is not very good and in some cases, deteriorate so drastically that they require medical treatment. It is very troublesome to not be able to see clearly unless the person is optimistic about life. It is also expensive to go for a medical treatment so that is a problem for poor people. Some things we can do is to help them navigate and guide them towards their destinations. We can also donate to organisations which subsidize healthcare services.

Friday, June 4, 2010

Elderly Challenge - Observation 1

Walking difficulties
I observed that an elder had trouble walking and needed a caregiver to support her. I think we can help them to walk to their destination by supporting them and warning them of obstacles such as drains which are not covered. We can also reduce the risk of the elderly accidentally injuring themselves due to such obstacles by reducing the number of obstacles. This idea can be incorporated into the design of homes so they are more elderly-friendly.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Understanding the "The Elderly Challenge"

Explain in your own words, the FOUR key recommendations of the report.

1) Housing for Seniors: Elder-Friendly Housing
This recommendation is to help the elderly to meet their needs and live with their families and the community without many of the difficulties which the elderly have to face.


2) Accessibility for Seniors: Barrier-Free Society
This is to make the transport system of our country's infrastructure more elderly-friendly so the elderly can reach their desired destinations safely and without much disruption.


3) Caring for Seniors: Holistic and Affordable Healthcare and Eldercare
This is to provide more services to meet the needs of the elderly and make the services more accessible and affordable.


4) Opportunities for Seniors: Active Lifestyles and Well-Being
This is to help the elderly lead a more active and healthy lifestyle in which they get involved in activities related to the community and have better relationships with their family members and the people in the community. It is also for teaching and encouraging people to have a better attitude towards ageing and the elderly.


State ONE way that the CAI report is recommending to make our public housing more elderly-friendly

HDB has various schemes in place so as to ensure that the elderly can live in an environment which they are familiar with with minimum disruption of their lives.

State TWO ways on how we can ensure that the quality of elderly care here in Singapore is affordable

We can contribute to foundations that subsidize the cost of elderly care services by donating to them.
We can build our own common fund for helping to subsidize the cost of elderly care services through the donations from the people of the community who are willing to help.

After reading the CAI report, what do you think are the THREE things that you can do, as an SST student, to help overcome these elderly challenges

I think I can help to physically support an old man to overcome physical obstacles such as staircases and roads.
I think I can gather committed people and get them to help me raise funds for donation to charities for the elderly.
I think I can conduct some research in which I observe, record, analyse and conclude about the problems that the elderly face so I can come up with an invention to address the needs of the elderly.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Personal Reflection (NEwater visit)

1. What are the 3 key takeaways from today’s visit?

I learnt about how we get water from the four national taps, the processes used in NEWater technology and the equipment used in the processes.

2. Name 2 concepts that you have learnt today during the visit.

I learnt the concept of reverse osmosis and ultra-filtration.

3. What is the 1 interesting thing that you have learnt today?

I learnt how NEWater works.

4. What are the things that you can do to help with water conservation in Singapore?

Turn off the tap when not in use.
Use a pail when washing a car instead of a running hose.
Use the water used to wash rice to water plants.
Use a pail when showering instead of a running showerhead.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Personal Reflection (8th Mar 2010)

1. What are the 3 key takeaways from today’s lesson?

We should provide enough statistics in our presentation so there is proof that supports what we are trying to propose.
We should simplify our words so laypersons can understand the information.
We must do sufficient research so we would not propose something which has already been done.

2. Name 2 concepts that you have learnt today pertaining to design and describe why is it important in design?

Practicability and authenticity

It must be at an economical cost and be easily be applied to the situation and easily maintained so people will want to use it.

It must be authentic so people will want to use it as they know it is special.

3. What is the 1 interesting thing that you have learnt today?
I learned how to give a good presentation and the criteria for making a good proposal.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Photography (People)

pastedGraphic.pdf

This is the notice board I regularly walk past as I enter the school or walk towards the canteen.


pastedGraphic_1.pdf

This is the passageway I usually take after I enter the school or when I am going to the canteen.


pastedGraphic_2.pdf

This is the platform next to the passageway where many of my schoolmates alight at.


pastedGraphic_3.pdf

My class is left of the center of this image which is the part of the corridor which is open-aired so I like to stand there as it is very bright on sunny days and cool on rainy days.


Miscellaneous: When is the best time for photography?


Lighting is the most important element in photography.Warmth, depth, texture, form, contrast, and color are all dramatically affected by the angle of the sunlight, and thus the time of day. Shooting at the optimum time is often the biggest difference between an 'amateur' and a 'professional' shot.

In the early morning and late afternoon, when the sun is low, the light is gold and orange, giving your shot the warmth of a log fire. Professional photographers call these the 'magic hours' and most movies and magazine shots are made during this brief time. It takes extra planning, but saving your photography for one hour after sunrise, or one to two hours before sunset, will add stunning warmth to your shots.


Thursday, February 11, 2010

Photography

1) Different types of photography

Advertising ,Aerial, Architectural, Astronomical, Baby,Black and White, Cityscape, Commercial, Concert, Digital, Documentary, Equine, Family, Fine art, Food, Glamour or fashion, Infrared, Landscape, Macro, Nature, Night, Pet, Portrait, Seascape, Travel, Underwater, Wedding and Wildlife Photography

2) Equipments

cameras, lenses, flashes, tripods, and camera cases

3) Aperture

opening that determines the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane

4) Focus

The adjustment to place the sharpest focus where it is desired on the subject.

5) Shutter Speed

It is the adjustment of the speed of the shutter to control the amount of time during which the imaging medium is exposed to light for each exposure. It can be used to control the amount of light striking the image plane. Quicker shutter speeds can be used to decrease both the amount of light and the amount of image blurring from motion of the subject and/or camera.

6) ISO speed

he measure of a photographic film's sensitivity to light, determined by sensitometry and measured on various numerical scales, the most recent being the ISO system. Relatively insensitive film, with a correspondingly lower speed index requires more exposure to light to produce the same image density as a more sensitive film, and is thus commonly termed a slow film.

7) Metering

Measurement of exposure so that highlights and shadows are exposed according to what the photographer wants.

8) White Balance

we adjust white balance to get the colors in our images as accurate as possible.


9) Composition (Rules)

Rule of Thirds : The human eye is naturally drawn to a point about two-thirds up a page. Crop the photo so that the main subjects are located around one of the intersection points rather than in the center of the image.

Golden Section Rule : Certain points in a picture's composition automatically attracts the viewer's attention.

Diagonal Rule : Important elements of the picture should be placed along the diagonals formed from halving the picture, then dividing the pictures into three parts with the adjacent side divided so that the lines connecting the resulting points from a diagonal frame.


10) Techniques

Photographic Composition, Center of Interest, Subject placement, Simplicity, Viewpoint, Camera Angle, Balance, Shapes and Lines, Contrast, Framing, Foreground, Background, Perspective, Basic Lighting Techniques and Composition & Basic Shots.

Sources:

http://photoinf.com/General/NAVY/Photographic_composition_Balance.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photography

http://www.photographytips.com/page.cfm/30

http://photography.about.com/od/photographyequipment/Photography_Equipment.htm

Friday, January 22, 2010

Difference between Isometric, Oblique and Orthographic Drawing

Isometric drawing is a pictorial representation of an object in which all three dimensions are drawn at full scale rather than foreshortening them to the true projection. An isometric drawing looks like an isometric projection but all its lines are parallel to the three major axes.

Oblique drawings show a three dimensional view of an object. The width of the object will still be drawn as a horizontal line, but the depth can be drawn back at any angle. There are three types of obliques, cavalier, normal and cabinet obliques. Cabinet obliques are when you cut the depth in half. Cavalier obliques are when you keep the depth the full measurement. Normal obliques are when you cut the depth into three quarters.

Orthographic drawings show a three-dimensional object in two dimensions. It is a form of parallel projection, where the view direction is orthogonal to the projection plane resulting in every plane of the scene appearing in affine transformation on the viewing surface.

So the difference between these drawings is that isometric drawing is when all three dimensions of an object are drawn at full scale rather than foreshortening them to the true projection while in oblique drawings, the width of the object will still be drawn as a horizontal line, but the depth can be drawn back at any angle and orthographic drawings show a three-dimensional object in two dimensions.

pastedGraphic.pdfpastedGraphic_1.pdfpastedGraphic_2.pdf

These drawings are isometric, oblique and orthogonal respectively.


Sources:

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/isometric-drawing.html

http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0310106/oblique.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthographic_projection

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Definition of theme - Environment

Definition of environment:
Environment can be defined as an area in which something exists or lives and the totality of surrounding conditions. It can also be defined as the sum of the elements, factors and conditions in the surroundings which may have an impact on the development, action or survival of an organism or group of organisms or the complex of physical, chemical, and biotic factors that act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine its form and survival.


Examples:
An unhappy home environment, may cause a child to do badly in school.
Because of global warming, we need to prevent further pollution of the environment.
How can you concentrate in such a noisy environment?

Summary:The environment is the sum of the elements, factors and conditions in the surroundings in which something exists and it can impact on the development, action or survival of an organism or an ecological community.

Sources:
http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=19104
www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/environment


Tuesday, January 12, 2010

ADMT Lesson 1: Personal Reflection

ADMT means how to design technology and how to market it to attract buyers. An ADMT student must have a positive attitude to be hardworking and not give up easily. My aspiration is to be good at designing and marketing products so I can set up a business to sell these products.I can achieve my aspiration by being attentive during ADMT lessons and to put what I have learnt to good use in the future.

Without ADMT, we would still be living in a life similar to that of early homosapiens.