:: Paco Lindoro ::

Internship at Denso Design center – Toyota corporation

pacolindoro — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 15:57:56 +0000

During the summer of 2011, I had the opportunity to have an internship an Denso Desing Center which belongs to the Toyota group for a period of two months in Kariya, Japan.

During this internship I work with two different teams for a period of 2 weeks each. Afterwards I work on a third project about the interface for the fourth generation Prius.

During my first assignment I work designing cluster dials for a market research test.

For the second assignment I work on the graphics of splash screens and skins for the navigation system.

On the third assignment, I explored the physical placement of the screens for Toyota Prius, and the way that information flows among the screens depending on the status of the vehicle (in motion or parking).

These are the form development sketches on top of a CAD model of the chosen direction where I looked to connect the main screens though a physical shape.

This is the final result where there is one big touch screen that could be access on micro-pauses while driving or by the passengers, and one heads up display and a front long screen where information flows from one to each other depending on the status of the vehicle.

This information system can also talk to the information coming from the mobile phone so the car can display up coming information in moments where is safe.

Close up of the information on the displays.

Harvesting Sugar Cane

pacolindoro — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 22:45:19 +0000

This is my master thesis project done at Umeå Institute of Design in 2011 in collaboration with Husqvarna AB. This project was completed in 20 weeks.

The project began with research on the sugarcane industry and its operation methods in order to find ways to identify opportunities to improve it.

Sugarcane is relevant because it is one of the best plants in the world to extract ethanol from.

Current circumstances in the sugarcane industry.

The bigger the plantation is the more machines they tend to have. One very important constrain for this machines to operate is to have a flat terrain. This machines are very tall and narrow to be able to harvest the standard sugarcane crop, due to this reason when machines go to slight on even terrain they have a high risk to tip over. If a machines tips over, it will suffer damage extensive enough to require maintenance and the operator could result seriously injure or even death.

In smaller plantations it is usual that the harvesting process is done manually due to the high investments required to afford the conventional harvesters. Smaller plantations are usually located in hillside terrains make it imposible the use of typical combine harvesters.

Working conditions for manual harvesters tend to be physically highly demanding, with a considerable incidence of accidents and a short productive live for the workers.

This is a selection of some of the images use to explain the working conditions and life conditions of manual harvesters to the people involve during the project.

These are pictures from the brainstorming session, the materials use to feed the participants and the organization of the resulting ideas.

The first direction explores hand held tools. This direction is the most affordable of the three directions, but on the other hand it still relies heavily on the physical capabilities of the harvesters.

The second direction explores walk behind options where the labour is easy for their operators, but the conditions of the terrain can be an ergonomic issue for their operators.

The third direction is a small combine harvester that can be use on hillside plantations and it explores the ways to a safe and comfortable workspace to the operators.

In order to evaluate the three different directions I show them to people that works in the sugar cane industry in different locations of the world and also I realized some in house ergonomic research of the impact of people working in hillside terrain.

Based on the results of the research and quantitative research I decided to go for “Direction C” which is the one can really improve the working conditions of their operators. About the required investment implications that this direction has, the people involve in the industry show a very positive view, assuring that with the increment of production that this direction would have, it is possible to bring it into the business level.

This are the sketches and CAD models of the first part of the form development.

On the left side there is the key sketch of the form development process, and towards the right there are screen shots of the CAD model in different stages and sketches of the detailing of the design

Sketches and screen shots of the final detailing exploration for the harvesting elements.

Sketches and screen shots of the final detailing exploration the operator’s platform and steerign column.

Emotional render of the final product.

Detail of the harvesting mechanism

Shot of the harvester while cutting cane.

Detail of platform’s and steering column’s movement and articulations.

Integration of the final design with Husqvarna’s portfolio.

On the left side image, an operator taking out the harvester from the storage place. On the right bottom, a machine harvesting on a hillside plantation. On the right top, an operator driving the machine up hill.

Studio pictures of the final model.

Hyperbaric Welding Robot

pacolindoro — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 15:10:50 +0000

This project was done during the second year of my master for the Service Robotics curse. This was a 10 weeks project.

Hyperbaric welding refers to the action of welding metals underwater. This is a very dangerous activity that requires very specific skills. This combination makes difficult to find hyperbaric welders.

This and the subsequent image are the scenarios that I drew to be used as explanation material for a brainstorming session

Scenario.

Brainstorming session.

On the top part there are the are sketches of the refined three main directions that were presented. Direction “C” was selected based on what technology wise could be possible and the advantages for the divers during long operations. At the bottom sketches of the form development process.

The result is a robot that is able to perform hyperbaric welding autonomously, and the new role of the divers will be the placement of the robots in a close by location to the repair and supervise the operation.

Visualization of the robot performing a repair on a ship’s hull.

Visualization of the robot repairing an industrial pipe, and a diver operating the robot from location A to B.

Studio pictures of the model.

Unlimited Spirit Trophy

pacolindoro — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 23:06:38 +0000

This was a short personal project done during 2010 over couple of weeks. The subject is the design of a trophy for a competition sponsor by RADO swiss watch manufacturer.

The moto for the competition is if you can imagine it, we can make it. If we can make it, we will. With this in mind I designed a proposal that would show off the master skills of the manufacturer in a beautiful and elegant shape.

This are sketches of my form development proces.

Visualization of the awards’ ceremony.

Trophy visualization.

Intenship at Philips Design

pacolindoro — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 23:00:04 +0000

During 2009 and 2010, I spent 10 months as intern in the Home Interactive Living department at Philips Design in Amsterdam.

During my internship I worked mainly on projects related to televisions.
I collaborated on different stages of the product’s development, from creative workshops to mechanical development meetings. These are images of some of the projects that I worked on during my time in Philips Design.

For further information or request of a copy of my recommendation letter, please contact me directly at pacolindoro [at] gmail [dot] com.

This is a small sample of sketches done at Philips.

Mother-Baby Pack

pacolindoro — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:32:55 +0000

This project started while I was in the award ceremony of the Index award in Copenhagen during 2008 and I meet with people working at the general supply division of UNICEF which is also based in Copenhagen.

I was invited to collaborate on this project towards the end of the first stage of its implementation where I work on the graphics and the usage workflow of the product.

This product has started its distribution in several countries in Africa during 2011 as a pilot project and hopefully after this first stage it will start world wide distribution very soon.

This is a clip from the BBC where the mother-baby pack is presented.

Fracture Rehabilitation System

pacolindoro — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:49:05 +0000

This project was done during the first year of my master curse. The goal was to identify a need that represents a relevant market for Philips which was our collaboration partner and develop a such product fulfilling the expectations of the market.

The project was done during the Strategic Design course with a duration of 10 weeks.

In order to identify correctly markets and their users, we used a mapping technique that clusters products that have similar aesthetic values, by doing this, it is possible to understand the trends in different segments of the market.

When combined with personas this mapping exercise also reveals the location of users in relation with the global market and it also helps to build a common language within the design team.

Once that the product and market were selected (in this case, fracture rehabilitation for the lifestyle market) the product was develop having the aesthetic values of the market segment and the form language of the company as guidelines.

A model was generated in cibatool out of the CAD data to be presented as final result.

Left side a frame extracted from the projects’ communication film. On the right top studio picture of the actual model. On the right bottom contextual render of the product.

This film was done during the second year of my master curse. The goal is to communicate in a non traditional way the projects’ final result by using storytelling. This video was made develop from concept to post-production in a period of 5 weeks.

Construction Site Radio

pacolindoro — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 23:09:59 +0000

This project was done during the first year of my master studies at Umeå Institute of design. The goal was to analyzed the construction and design of an out of the shelf radio and redesign it for a construction site environment.

This project was completed in 5 weeks.

The first step was to understand the role of each component and the way they work together. Then each of this components were drawn in SolidWorks and then I proceed to redesign the radio. I use sketching and sketch models for this part of the process.

In my design, I changed the way that the tunning and volume knobs are operated, I made the volume knob to be the full speaker and the station knob the upper inner circle.

Here you can see the inner components and inner custom gears designed to make possible the new operation of the radio.

Pictures of the assemble of the working prototype and pictures of the details.

Studio pictures from the model indicating the main features.

On the left and right top, contextual renders. On the right bottom, picture of the actual model.

NavigationSystem

pacolindoro — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 23:02:07 +0000

This project was developed the first year of my master studies, during the sound design course. The project consist of a gps device where the direction of the destination is pointed by a light turning around the main dial and the distance to the destination is indicated by a color gradient where blue means far and red means to have arrived to the destination.

The main goal of the project was to enhance the interface and interaction by the use of sound.

This project was a team execution in collaboration with Regimantas Vegele.

We record sounds using an electric guitar and a synthesizer. Later on, we processed the sounds using the software Audacity and then we programmed a simple prototype with Arduino capable of reproducing the sounds and display a gradient changing light between blue and red.

Scenario and context photographies.

The device is portable and helps the user to navigate within cities or countryside entirely on gps navigation.

The user saves their main destinations before their trip.

Scenario and context photographies.

During the trip the user can scroll between the pre-saved destinations and select the one they would like to use. If the device runs out of battery, it has a dynamo on the back that, by turning it, it will provide power to the device.

Renders of the final product.

Future Mobility Concept

pacolindoro — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 22:51:57 +0000

This project was sponsored by Volvo buses and it was a team execution in collaboration with Philipp Divitschek at Umeå Institute of Design. The project duration was 10 weeks.

The project was submitted in 2008 to the competition “Framtidens resande” sponsored by Arlanda Express (Company that operates the fast train from Arlanda Stockholm Airport and Stockholm city center). This project was awarded with the first place in such competition.

This project was focus on improving the travel experience of passengers while offering a safer vehicle during travel and in case of an accident a vehicle that decreases the chances getting injured and in the worst case scenario, a vehicle that is adequate for the rescue of passengers by the fire fighters department.

The user research with rescue forces was conduced at Sandö, Sweden

From the user research we identified many needs and situations that can prevent and help during the rescue from an accident and they could be implemented or improved though design solutions.

These ideas were captured in sketches and presented to the class.

Next, there were sketches done for form development. These sketches considered the first ideas generated from the user research and later were taken into mock ups and to show a new safety principle where the front and end of the buss can turn independently from the passengers cabin in order to increase the safety of all that compartment.

These concept was taken back to sketches for final refinement before executing a clay model of the final design.

The result, in the interior, is a much higher visibility for passengers and a flexible interior that allows bus owners to customize the bus’ interior by them selfes, so that they can offer a much tailored experience to their passengers, from the normal commuting of students during the week up to deluxe charters over the summer.

On the exterior, the bus has a front and back hinge that allows the passengers’ cabin to rotate independently from the ends of the bus. In case of accidents that typically would cause the bus to roll over, this mechanism would keep the passengers’ cabin in vertical position.

It would reduce the risk of injuries to passengers, decrease damage to the main cabin and finally it would keep a safe environment for the passengers to wait to be rescued if needed.

The exterior also has an increase accessibility for rescue teams to operate in case of a catastrophic accident.

The mobility concept has to main components, first the passengers’ cabin where the passengers and luggage is located and second, the power trains that are one front and one back unit that move the passengers’ cabin.

The power trains are operated from a remote driving center.

The power trains can operate all day long due to the easy and fast exchange of batteries. For these reason it is possible to employ this components in other task, for example the transportation of good’s containers during night.

This are studio photographies of the model used in the concept presentation.