The project's aim was to redesign an existing IR thermometer for a brand of choice and to build a functional prototype.
I created a new generation IR thermometer for professional winter athletes to measure the snow temperature and evaluate this data. Thus, this product will enable them to achieve high performance by choosing the right equipment and wax in winter sports.
I chose POC which is a Swedish company with a strong mission to do their best to save lives and reduce the consequences of gravity sports accidents.
IR THERMOMETER + FEATURE X + BRAND
For advanced use in racing conditions, the device helps to gather and saves temperature probes of various points on the slope. The data can be evaluated on a tablet or phone. Thus, better performance can be achieved with the correct wax selection.
Wax Selection
Choosing wax for professional winter athletes is very important in terms of performance and accident risk. My goal is to provide the right wax selection by measuring the slope snow temperature before training or race, to ensure the best performance and to minimize the risk of accidents.
Design
The back frame that gives the character of the product is inspired by the protection features of the POC's helmets and frames. The back frame protects the key part of the product. In the design of the product, round lines specific to POC brand were used, the color ratio was taken into consideration and CMF properties were transferred.
• The waterproof design combined with a soft touch rubber handle ensures handling even in steep and hard slopes.
• The metallic and colored frame makes it easy to notice the product in the snow.
• You can see the temperature instantly on the screen and make the right choice of wax.
• Thanks to the frame at the bottom, it allows easy carrying by connecting to your back bag or wrist.
Inner Structure
Production methods were taken into consideration during modeling. The draft angles, wall thickness, ribs, screw holes were modeled to fit into the final prototype of the components.
Each student got a new infrared thermometer which we had to disassemble and study. We should then choose a brand for which we make a redesign of the product and make a prototype using the electronic components.
After how to place the placements of the components decided, drawings were made to find the most appropriate form for brand identity. To refine the concept, side views were generated in Photoshop. After the sketching phase, quick foam mock-ups were made to test the idea before going into CAD.
The next step was to go from the sketch and foam model to get a more defined form. I used Solidworks to learn more about the software and focus on parametric modeling. During this episode, different models were milled out of PU foam to test out the shape in 3D.
Afterward, in order to present our idea and sound design in the best way, the 3D design of the physical product was first milled - painted and turned into a final model. Then we prepared the final presentation video with our real model.
The last step was to turn the final model into a functional prototype. For this step, the same components were used from the existing model. Slight modifications happened due to design and ergonomic changes. After the assembly was completed, I had a working model.