Dimension/Depth/Space/Scale

The EON Touchlight is a bare-hand 3D interaction virtual reality display system based on an invention from Microsoft Research.

This system serves as a design technique which communicates the objects size, dimension, depth, and scale in this virtual space. The users can interact with the 3D projection by simply by touching the screen or moving their hands just off the semi-transparent screen surface. This system shows 3D models and offers the user the great benefit of interaction and previsualization before the object is actually produced or manufactured.

This system allows the user to see the design and technical issues or challenges posed by space in relation to the object.

Real dimension is a very important element in Industrial Design and designers must deal with the total and actual size and volume of things. This virtual reality display system is a perfect tool during the process of evaluating and examining these two aspects of the dimension of objects, only with the difference and convenience that they have not been materialized yet.

For more information on this device please visit:

http://www.eonreality.com/news/news_archive/press_releases07_18_06.htm

Tone and Color seen in Industrial Design products.

Tone is operating in this example of tangible object in a way that when the lamp is closed, it’s seen in different tones as if it were opened. The color of the lamp itself is white but as it opens or closes up we can see how the effects of light and shadow change the color in which we perceive it. This object is fascinatedly interacting with the element of Movement which has great influence in the way the lamp meets its functionality and allows for the intensity of darkness and lightness to work well as tone stimulators. Another function of tone here is the attribution of indication and expressing space and dimension of the lamp. Shape is another element we see here actively interacting with the role of tone. When the lamp is closed its petals are seen in a darker tone as light that comes from the inside of the flower-shaped lamp illuminates only the inside and the exterior is seen more opaque. When the lamp is opened, the several petals spread out and light finally reaches the environment. Only the exterior petals are kept opaque as light does not fall upon them, but the rest are seen in a lighter tone due to the presence of light.

URL: http://freshome.com/2007/08/30/lull-the-flower-light/

Another example I found that is actively related to Color and Tone are iPods nano-chromatic. They come in all elementary hues and some secondary colors, as well as black and gray. As colors are so closely related with psychological attributions and emotions in general, Apple has thought of this to appeal to the iPod users. Yellow for warm people because it represents light and warmth, blue for more of calmed or passive people because it represents passiveness and softness, red for emotional and active people because it is all about passion and active lifestyles, and so on with the rest of colors offered in the product. This way Apple has thought of a great way of attracting people and making them feel authentic and genuine with their purchase because colors somehow reflect a little bit of their own personality. Tonal gradations are offered as well in iPods. This allows users to choose between more customized options and allow them to reflect with more depth that specific aspect about themselves through their gadget.

URL: http://www.megaleecher.net/iPod_Nano_Chromatic

Professional area: Industrial Design (Product Design)

The line is the main element used in the design process of this prototype car. It is active in the work of line layers the designer utilizes to build up the progress of the overall design. The multiple rough sketchy lines serve to give form and dimension to this object. We can see the job performed by the line in the way the form of the car is constructed by means of scratchy lines without too much quality and then by means of more precise lines which originate from the initial rough sketch. Even though the final outcome or result might include the visual element of line as well, we can clearly see how the line is a very important tool of previsualization in the process of experimenting with ideas and drawing freely and loosely when designing something like this.

The Shape is seen in the construction of this humongous superstructure called Orquideorama. This Orquideorama is located in Medellin, Colombia, and it’s a steel and wood structure in a hexagonal shape that continuously repeats to form flower shapes by means of hexagons attached to each other in this special manner. This structure was built for a botanical garden which has orchid’s exhibits many times a year. The whole structure is mainly formed by hexagonal shapes which do the job of working together as a modular design and provide decoration and the comfort for the visitors when raining or when it’s too sunny. The visual element of shape was actively used in the construction of this structure, and it’s obvious how well it worked out from an industrial design perspective.

Movement is seen in this table because its legs seem to have live of their own! These smooth, elegant, sinuous, amorphous and curvy legs actively do the job of the visual element of movement. The message that the legs of this naturalistic-curved-wood table convey is lots of dynamism and motion. It’s almost as if it started to walk on its own! There’s nothing rectilinear or static about it. In contrast, it definitely gives a sense of motion, an implied action or movement which at the same time gives a sense of balance in its forms.

This table was designed by Chul An Kwak, and he was inspired by images of running horses to break with common rectilinear forms of furniture design. He tried to blend in industrial design, artistic sculpture and wood carving concepts to achieve this final result.

Design Success and Failure in Relation to Syntactical Guidelines.

This example of Industrial Design success is a portable bed for homeless people. I think it’s very successful because besides of its functional and practical attributions it is a well-designed useful object that embraces a unity, balance, accuracy, and symmetry that syntactically communicate the user a very convenient way of having a better way of spending the night rather than a bed made out of cardboard, paper bags or some kind of basic materials which don’t bring comfort and reliability like this Rollmann portable bed for homeless. I believe the syntactical guidelines have been put to good use in relation to the goals for the work and targeted user because the overall work communicates clearly without ambiguity what it was designed for. There’s equilibrium which gives the sense of balance, and its harmonious and stable looking provide the user with the leveling effect which turns out to be appealing and creates confidence.

On the other hand, this lamp-table doesn’t look too appealing. Its random design went too far by actually losing all possible sense of balance, harmony, stability, and unity. It probably gives the feeling that it might collapse at some point, and the colors and materials that have been used are not congruent and this makes the overall work seem ambiguous and stressing. This is a perfect example of Industrial Design failure (or more specifically, furniture design failure) and the syntactical guidelines were obviously not taken into account in the designing process.