My design role on the Bell Labs wearables project required me to have the technical competency to work alongside scientific researchers across multiple disciplines, and the creative expertise to design and develop user-centered technology.
Hardware Design Lead, User Experience Research, User Testing, Ergonomic Studies, Model Making, Soft Goods Fabrication
January 2017- June 2019
One of my key roles as the Industrial Designer in Dublin's Hardware Innovation team was working on the development of “prototype products”. These were fully functional devices produced in small quantities, built to showcase the market potential of Bell Labs research.
These devices were developed to be put into the hands of researchers to further their experiments, or to be showcased externally at high profile events such as Mobile World Congress to demonstrate and propose the future applications of such technologies.
Prototyped and proofs of concept in house
The EyeBud was developed as a proposal for a virtual assistant. While operating in "Diplomat mode", the EyeBud's camera could recognise faces captured, and the off ear speaker would discreetly announce their name to the wearer.
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It was evident that solution needed to be developed to allow Alex to better understand himself, and from there to give guidance on how best to manage himself in relation to his sleep and rest. By measuring his biometrics along with his activity, a system was designed that gave Alex real-time data on his sleep patterns, energy levels and physiological stress, telling him when he really needed to rest.
To gather this data, a bespoke wearable solution needed to be developed. Conventional wearables weren't suitable for Alex: the standard device battery life of commercial products were too short (~10 hours), and the comfort and durability of most devices were not built for continued wear over multiple days in saline environments.
The quick release clasp allowed Alex to adjust the band and remove it at quick notice, while the fabric hood increased comfort in this area
An augmented Battery life (~25 days) meant less charging or swapping of devices for Alex
Alex's biometrics are constantly monitored via the bands optical heart rate monitor, sitting flush against his skin
The electronic components are sealed in a rubber housing, wrapped in a fabric exterior, to weather the extreme saline conditions
The IMU monitors Alex's movement and activity, which is calculated against the ship's own movement to reveal the true values
Alex can blindly feed a charge cable down his jacket sleeve to connect to a magnetic connector, allowing him to charge the device on his body
Silicone elastic grips were woven into the band fabric to prevent the sensor slipping down the arm
