It was an insightful class last week.
After careful consideration– given the time constrain, skills, practicability, and because the winter is coming, I decided to work on — a heated gloves.
Inspiration
I believe some, if not most, of the best innovations out there started with a drive to fix an issue.
The idea has always been in the back of mind. Even have been living the Northeast for a a while now, it is still hard for me to get to the work mode when it is only 17F outside. Being a big fan of electric blanket myself, I continue to wish there is design available out there for me to carry warmth around. It doesn’t have to be super fancy, just something functional, something that is user-friendly and most consumer will be willing to pick up.
Design Draft
Installation elements
There will be four major elements go on the gloves to tackle the temperature issue.
#1 A digital temperature sensor is the input end, it will detect temperature of hand and will be set to trigger the system.
#2 A heating pad will be the output end, it be attached on the gloves to release heat when the the system is triggered.
(#3 Alternative option- force sensor(FRS type. If the user is cold, ask the user to put on gloves and make a fist to trigger the energy-release action. But what if the user’s hands are not cold, they are just standing on subway, holding onto a pole?)
#4 A battery will be the energy source.
#5 A switch to turn on/off
Installation content
All the installation will most likely to be on planted on the “back” of hand, and near the pinky finger side of the palm. The reason for that is, safety is the priority. If things do go wrong, and unfortunately the user really gets burned, I would wish it is the most unimportant part of the hand, not the most important feature of the hand- the pam side, the thumb, the index finger.
Instruction (Draft)
1. After the user put on the gloves, the gloves will remain static when palm is open.
2. When the user ‘s hands start to get cold, the change in temperature is a trigger. It will trigger the system to release through the heating pad.
3. Heat-releasing system will not respond if the hand is warm.
Challenges& Unknown
1. Analog or Digital output?
BOM
1. TMP102 https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11931
2. heating pad http://www.karlssonrobotics.com/cart/heating-pad-5x10cm/?gclid=CM745MPo0sECFRJp7AodUScA-A
3. Battery(energy source, type undecided)
4. Switch (type undecided)
PlayTest Questions
1. The heat spot should go on the finger tips or side of palm?
2. Would the user be willing to carry a battery around?
Thanks Caroline, the gloves are a nice, practical p-comp approach to the oncoming cold.
I challenge you to develop more of an interactive system– review the final project assignment from the syllabus: “The interaction should be iterative (according to Crawford’s definition). Don’t just make a system where the user takes one action, the system responds, and it’s over. Make a system where the user sees the system’s response, and takes more action in response, in a continued loop.”
With this in mind, how will your system interact to its user’s actions? Does the user have choices in his/her response to the system? How will the system iterate on user’s active choices?
As you can imagine, of new, more detailed playtesting questions will arise from a more interactive schema, so please flesh these out before you embark on your playtesting make-up assignment.