Help with feedback on my product concepts (thank you)

[Vincent]

Hello,

Let me give you a short introduction about who I am and where I am working on. I’m a student Industrial Design Engineering at the Technical University Delft the Netherlands. I’m in my first year of my Master and am following the course Exploring Interaction at the moment with the focus on sport divers. I have been working on this project now for 3.5 months and am now at a stage where I have to choose a concept to work out into detail and improve where is necessary.



Hopefully you can give me some feedback on my three concepts which can be seen on my poster. Please comment on how useful it is, if it gives another (fun way of) interaction under water, if it improves communication with your dive buddy and if it adds more fun to diving.



Thank you for your comments,



Vincent ten Hacken


Picture – It
This concept is based on a simplified photo camera. It has only a few buttons, is robust and has a big screen. The idea is that you and your dive buddy take one camera together with your dive and that you share it. If you see something nice which you like to share with your buddy you can take a photo of it and show it to your buddy. He/she can add comments on the screen. In this way it is also possible to ask the other person what that thing on the screen is if you don’t have a clue. Some extra options are a pre installed encyclopedia with pictures and the name of that specie and some emoticons to communicate in a more fun and emotional way.



Expression Ball
This concept is a combined dive torch, pointer (if you want to point at something specific) but above all a communication tool. I made 3 variants on this concept. 2 Of them are used with a writing marker and one is used with Velcro patches and possibly markers too. The idea is again that you share this ball during your dive. If you want to make remarks or communicate with your buddy you can write it down on the ball and give it to your buddy. You can choose a light color for the thing you want to communicate, so the ball can change in color by light to express your emotions or feelings that suit with what you want to communicate. It has a sort of moodlight/ambilight in it. In this way you can already communicate through the use of a particular color and give it a more personal and emotional load. The expression ball can also be used a a sort of log book already for during your dive. Above water, after your dive, you can share what you have seen with other divers or have a look at it with your dive buddy only. It can work as a memory for what you have seen and done during your dive.

Sticky Connections
This concept is the most “intimate” as you communicate by sticking Velcro patches to each others arms. It is mend to stay close to each other and focuses on tactile and visual communication. You and your dive buddy wear an arm sleeve in the color you want (preferably the same color as your buddy). This is also a way of making a difference with the other divers on that spot to recognize each other better. Both divers have a ring with pre printed Velcro patches which are color coded for specific groups, for instance a different color for fish, coral, emoticons, blank patches and dangerous species. The idea is that the diving company provides you with specific pre printed patches for that dive location so you can look up fast what you are looking at. The blank patches can be used to communicate other things then the pre printed patches. The idea is that you share more experiences, stay closer and more connected with each other, have more fun and communicate on a more emotional and in depth way.


Again, thank you for your comments.