Reflections

What have I learnt?


I have learnt how to brainstorm on different ideas and how to narrow it down.
Pointers that remained in my mind: Innovative and Creative Products
This would help me when it comes to selecting good ideas.
Techniques I used to brainstorm: Mindmap, Drawings.

I have learnt how to think critically. I kept going back to my product and picturing it in my mind of the different scenarios my product is used. This would give me a rough idea and identify the disadvantages of my product and how to further improve it. Therefore, I had to keep re-looking into my product idea. This helps me learn along the way as I got to learn from errors that should not be made.


I have learnt to be focus on the main key idea. I must be moving along the way that my products must help the elderly in their needs. That must be the focus, or else the outcome would be different.


I have learnt how to draw three-dimensional drawings. This would help in picture my product. I also could sketch out the detailed parts of my product.


I could apply what 

we have learn from the first semester.

-Ideation
-Shape Borrowing
-SCAMPER

What are the difficulties that I encountered?


1. Brainstorming Ideas- My mind was a total blank during the first few weeks of this semester. I had totally no idea on what to focus on and what to make. I tried to do research on a wide/general elderly-friendly items to get inspirations from but it was of little help. This was an obstacle I had to overcome.
2. Wrong Ideas- During the process, I realised that I made the wrong choices for many different things. In the process of building up my idea, I realised it is not feasible and therefore, I threw it away.
3. Prototyping- I had problems finding the suitable materials for my prototype. When constructing it, I had problems as my masking tape could stick the pieces together.


How do I overcome them?


1. I tried to get ideas from my friends, family, and most importantly my grandparents. They gave me inspirations, leading to my product. I had to gather all my courage and go with the idea I had, no matter what the outcome is. My indecisiveness may be the reason of myself not being able to go on with the idea.
2. I had to come up with another idea immediately. However, I did not want the research I have done to go to waste. Therefore, I created another product that still relates to my main topic under the Elderly Challenge: Household Chores- Cleaning Of Windows.
3. I replace the original materials with other materials that I could find that could still fit the purpose of it. I had to use lots and lots of masking tape to tape over my product.

Reflection - Prototype

What are the difficulties that you have encountered during the process?

There was not much of a difficulty as we had to just make sure that the product is able to pick objects that are dropped onto the floor. The only difficulty is the brainstorming area when thinking about how to ensure that the product fulfill its criteria.

How do you overcome the difficulties encountered?

We had to discuss and participate actively in the group, sharing our thoughts and ideas.

What are the 2 key takeaways for this lesson?

Learning more about the prototype and design considerations(qualitative or quantitative).

Ergonomics (Product description and Idea Trigger)

Description of the Product:
The product is a Shoes Cleaner Brush. It is blue in colour. This product is special in the sense that there are nylon fibre on both sides of the brush. The material used to make the handle is plastic. It is used to clean shoes thats why it is called Shoes Cleaner Brush. It is smooth and sleek. Its design is simple but it still carries out its function properly. It gives the user a firm grip. It is durable and handy. There is a curve on the handle, making it unique and different from others.

Design Considerations when Designing the Product:

Although its design is different from other similar shoe brushes, it must still carry out its usual function which is to clean shoes.

The design must not be too complex for the user. If it is, the user will have problems using it. So simplicity may be the best.

Would an elderly face difficulty using this product? If yes, what are the difficulties that the elderly would face?

Yes.

1. The elderly may not have enough strength to rub off the stains on the shoes.

2. As the brush has nylon fibres on both sides, when the elderly uses one side, the nylon fibre on the other side may be obstructing the elderly for cleaning the shoes as it might hit the elderly's hand or obstruct the movement of his/her hand.

3. The handle of the brush maybe be too big for the elderly to grasp fully. If the elderly is frail, he/she may not be able to life the brush up as he/she is weak.

4. The surface of the handles is too smooth, therefore the elderly's hand may slip off.

What do you think can be done to improve on the design of the product to suit the elderly?

1. Have nylon fibres only on one side of the brush, but increase the amount of nylon fibres on that side.

2. Make the Handle smaller.

3. Make the Handle lighter.

4. Have a firm grip on the handle(eg. rubber-to increase friction).

5. Make it Collapsible.

Improved Product: (Sorry its upside down)

When it is folded(Collapsible)

Ergonomics 2

1. What is Ergonomics?
Ergonomics derives from two Greek words: ergon, meaning work, and nomoi, meaning natural laws, to create a word that means the science of work and a person’s relationship to that work. Ergonomics is the science of making things comfy. It also makes things efficient. And when you think about it, comfy just another way of making things efficient. However for simplicity, ergonomics makes things comfortable and efficient.
2. What are the 5 aspects of Ergonomics?
The five aspects of Ergonomics are Comfort, Aesthetics, Safety, Ease of Use & Productivity/Performance.
3. For each aspects of Ergonomics, explain with an example of a product that is designed for the elderly, how the product meet that particular aspect of Ergonomics.
Comfort:

It has an elastic support on the back frame, which provides outstanding comfort. It has a leg rest for elderly as their legs can tired easily. It also has a convenient push handle at the back of the chair for it to be inclined, for elderly if they are tired. Lastly, it has an elastic open seat base which provides support for the elderly.

Safety:
I think that the floor tiles can be a good example. If the floor tiles are slippery and the elderly is not careful, he/she may slip and fall causing himself/herself to get injured. Therefore, the floor tiles should be rough to have more friction.

Ease Of Use:
An example would be the sign boards. Elderly's eyesight may not be very good. Therefore, they might not be able to see properly when they are far away. If the boards are too complex(too many words and directions), the elderly might be confused. So, for the ease of use, it should just be simple but do not lack the important information.

Productivity/Performance:
One thing is the table. If your table is cramp with stuffs, the productivity rate will drop as you may find it hard to concentrate on doing what you are suppose to do and may have not find you items.

Aesthetics:
Aesthetics is a set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation with beauty. We must look for items that are well furnished and have good appearance. So, probably a nice looking wheelchair would be good for the elderly. It must still have all the usual functions and must do its job of helping an elderly walk.

Citations:
http://ergonomics.about.com/od/ergonomicbasics/a/ergo101.htm
http://www.medicalproductsdirect.com/chforelpecoc.html

Ergonomics 1 - Question 4

Why do you think that Ergonomics is important when designing?

Ergonomics is important when designing as the efficiency and work rate of people working in office has been very low, particularly due to cluttered office and poor design of the working environment. It is important as it affects one’s mood, efficiency, work rate and even versatility. Proper ergonomic design is necessary to prevent repetitive strain injuries, which can develop over time and can lead to long-term disability. Having a more comfortable place can increase the considerably good factors and thus become a conducive environment.

Ergonomics 1

1. Compare the 2 different workplaces, state your observations.

Comfort and Simplicity- The Liberty Chair allows one to incline the chair and provides a lot of space, whereas A Work ng Chair has little space and people have a problem adjusting the height of it, which may cause the person to feel uncomfortable.

Incorrect Height and Depth- Some people have problems looking at the computer screen, maybe because of poor eyesight. However, the monitor could not be moved. In the 2nd design, the M7 Monitor Arm allows the computer screen to be pulled forward, allowing the person to see and does not need to squint his/her eyes.

Task Lighting- The lighting is too bright, causing people not to be able to see properly. The Different Light allows the lamp to be pulled towards the work, making it more convenient.

Freedom of Movement- The arm rest in the first design was too high. Therefore, people would have problems moving around, just like the man which almost spilled the drink. However, for the second design, the arm rest for the chair was adjustable. So, he could drink without the arm rest hindering him.

As there is reflection, sometimes, the angle of the laptop will makes it hard for people to see the screen. For the 1st design, the man used books and files and placed them below the laptop to make it higher, easier for the man to read. For the 2nd design, it was easier as the man just had to place a laptop holder under the laptop.

Elderly Challenge - Observation 4

Recently, I have observed that public transports are getting crowder these days. As there are limited seats, an elderly would not get a chance to sit down. Even with the reserved seats, younger people would not even bother about the elderly and would just take up the seats. Many elderly people would then be left with no choice but to stand. If their journey is very long, it would affect their knee bone and their muscles would ache. Standing up on the MRT would also increase the chances of them falling down when the MRT breaks.




This picture is taken in the afternoon. If we place an elderly in this scenario where by she/he has just entered the MRT and have no place to seat, how would he/she feel? This would also affect the good reputation of Singapore. In my opinion, I think that there should be more reserved seats. Anyone who does not fit the purpose of these seats and still seats on them will be fined. This action would then help the elderly.

JJ(:

Elderly Challenge - Observation 3

Osteoporosis is a disease of bones that leads to an increased risk of fractures. A small fall can result in complications such as hip fracture. Therefore, some elderly are afraid to go out of the house. They have the fear either because they have injured themselves before and do not want to take the risk of getting hurt again or they have heard of the severity of falling. However, not going out of the house will also affect their health. Hence, we have to improve places like the shopping centre or a public park, to make the facilities elderly-friendly to ensure that they are safe.

The floor tiles in corridors are often slippery. This would increases the risk of the elderly falling down. I think that we should change the tiles into non-slippery ones to ensure their safety. This would build up their confidence in stepping out of the house. Walking around corridors can also be a form of exercise, which would improve the elderly's health condition.

JJ(:

Elderly Challenge - Observation 2

I have observed that the visually impaired elderly cannot really see the signs in a shopping mall. When I went to a a shopping with my grandmother, she had problems seeing the signs and arrows as she is visually impaired. From my point of view, I think that they should increase the size of the words so that it will suit the elderly. Besides, sometimes the visually impaired elderly would not even notice the signs. Maybe some bright lightings would capture their attention.

To be able to get a clear view of this sign, I had to come so close. Imagine placing a visually impaired elderly in this situation. Wouldn't it be even hard for he/she to see the sign? Another thing is that the arrows can be a bit confusing. Shouldn't all the arrows pointing in the same direction be on the same side? Putting the MRT on the right side is the wrong choice. This would only confuse the people further. So, to suit the elderly, the MRT, Food Court and Supermarket Sign should be on the right while the Bus Interchange Sign should be on the left to avoid confusion.

JJ(:

Elderly-Friendly Room

Overview of the Elderly- Friendly Room.

This is a small refrigerator. All the drinks and food are kept inside.

This is a microwave. It helps the elderly in re-heating cooked food so that he/she does not need to cook it himself/herself.

This is a machine that allows the elderly to exercise. This would be more convenient as the elderly does not need to go out of the room. All the elderly has to do is to step on this machine and start exercising, just like walking on the road.

This is a closet. It has many drawers. This allows the elderly to separate his/her stuff so that he/she will not forget where the items are. It is also near the sofa so the elderly does not need to move around too much.

This is a long and comfortable sofa. There is a pillow on it. This makes it more comfortable for the elderly when he/she is watching the television.

This TV is stuck on the wall. It is huge so that they visually impaired elderly would be able to see the screen clearly.

All this equipments suits the elderly. So, this is the ideal Elderly- Friendly Room!~

JJ(:

Elderly Challenge - Observation 1

I have observed that the elderly have problems walking. They either walk very slowly, or they cant even walk. This would make it hard for them to get from places to places easily. When walking, the elderly tend to get tired very easily. Therefore, they would take breaks after walking only a short distance. Even if they take public transport, it may be very crowded and they might not even get a seat as the other passengers might not be willing them up. Like this, taking the public transport will not be much better than walking as the elderly would still have to stand.

This picture shows an escalator. This escalator is not working due to some technical problems. If an elderly had to go up to the second level, it would be hard as he/she will have to find a lift or another escalator. Besides, the signs at the mall is too small. An elderly may have troubles finding a lift or escalator. So, in conclusion, I think that they should build some slopes in the mall so that it would be elderly friendly.

However, space is a big problem. As Singapore is a small country, the amount of space given is limited. Building slopes takes up a big amount of space, which is probably why people do not build them. But when there is a power failure or faulty in the lightnings, slopes would then come in handy.

JJ(:

Holiday Homework - Part 1 Understanding the Elderly Challenge

Explain in your own words, the FOUR key recommendations of the report.

Housing for seniors

This allows the elderly to live as a part of the family or community. There will be a range of housing options to suit the lifestyle of the elderly and help them with their disabilities, complemented with facilities. Like this, Singapore will be suitable for all ages to live in.

Accessibility for seniors

The facilities must be elderly-friendly. This will allow the elderly to lead active lives. We can start by making their homes and the environment barrier-free. This will ensure that they are safe and sound at all times. Singapore will then be suitable for the elderly to live in.

Caring for seniors

Elderly needs to take care of their health. They would also have some needs. Therefore, in addressing a diversity of needs and looking after their health, healthcare and elderlycare services in Singapore must be easily accessible to the elderly living in the community.

Opportunities for seniors

This would allow the elderly to lead a healthy and active lifestyle. They will then have good relationships within their families and also with their friends when they do activities together. Singaporeans will then have a positive attitude towards the seniors.

State ONE way that the CAI report is recommending to make our public housing more elderly-friendly

They are going to have accessible lifts, walkways and transport pick-up points which are elderly- friendly.

State TWO ways on how we can ensure that the quality of elderly care here in Singapore is affordable

We can ensure by knowing how much funds can be spent to improve the lifes of the elderly. If the budget is high, then it is affordable. But we must take into consideration of the disadvantages of it as it may affect the community. If there are lots of benefits, it is then very worth it.

After reading the CAI report, what do you are the THREE things that you can do, as an SST student, to help overcome these elderly challenges

1. I can generate ideas to improve the lifestyle of an elderly by looking at things from a different perspective. This will allow me to apply critical thinking skills and using SCAMPER to further improve an item or even create a new one. For example, wheelchairs are not for going downstairs. We can use modify the wheelchair and further improve it by implementing something into it. This would help the elderly.
2. I can go to the old folks home and talk to them to understand better what are their needs. I can not only keep the elderly company but can also figure out how to further improve their lives by helping them to overcome some challenges they met.
3. I can organise a fun-raising day in SST, where the funds collected will go to the elderly. The funds can then be used to help them.

Personal Reflection (NEwater visit)

1. What are the 3 key takeaways from today’s visit?

From today's NEwater visit, I learnt about Singapore's four national taps(National Catchments, Imported water, NEwater and Desalinated water), how NEwater processes the water to make it suitable for drinking(purify and distill) and how the processes work.
2. Name 2 concepts that you have learnt today during the visit.

I have learnt about the three processes that is used in the NEwater plant: UV Disinfection, Ultra Filtration and Reverse Osmosis.

UV Disinfection: Kills Bacteria

Ultra Filtration: Only allow water molecules to pass through the membrane

Reverse Osmosis: Purify Water

3. What is the 1 interesting thing that you have learnt today?

In the process of Ultrafiltration, the view is multiplied by 100,000 times: Like this, the holes in between the strands will be the size of a tennis ball, water molecules would be a size of a ping pong ball, virus would be as big as a truck, and bacteria would be as large as the NEWater factory itself.
4. What are the things that you can do to help with water conservation in Singapore?

We could use the 3Rs(Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) to help with water conservation. Like this, the target of using 140 litres of water per day for each person will be met faster.

An idea: Use the water for washing vegetables to water the plants or flush the toilet.

JJ(:

Reflection

3 key takeaways:

1.The product that is designed should be attractive to the targeted audience.

2. Lots of research must be done before the brainstorming of ideas.

3. We should look from the audience point of view of the product.

2 concepts learnt:

Innovative and Feasibility.

The idea must be feasible in order for it to work out. The generated idea must be innovative so that it will appeal to the people and more people would buy the product.

Extra: Originality. The idea must be original and not taken from movies or books.

1 interesting learnt:

Every part of the product is an important factor whether it will pass or fail.

JJ(:

Photography- PEOPLE(:

The teachers are sitting together chit-chatting and having some drinks.

They have the duty of teaching their pupils well and are probably resting after a period of lessons.

Pupils are taking pictures of the sky...

They have nothing better to do that they had to do that.

(:

I didn’t know lady gaga and gangsters like taking pictures of the sky.

Pupils taking pictures of the surroundings.

Looks like they are so hardworking...

Why am I being lame?

Zzzz.

Miscellaneous: When is the best time for photography?

The best light to take photos is at twilight. This is not because of the sensational light, which it is, but that the strength of the sunlight and the strength of other minuscule human powered lights become the similar making the sun the best (sensational) fill light ever. And the light is not as direct.

http://automaticcamera.blogspot.com/2009/02/best-time-to-take-photos.html

JJ(:

Photography

Different Types

Advertising Photography

Aerial Photography

Architectural Photography

Astronomical Photography

Baby Photography

Black and White Photography

Cityscape Photography

Commercial Photography

Concert Photography

Digital Photography

Documentary Photography

Equine Photography

Family Photography

Fine art Photography

Food Photography

Glamour or Fashion Photography

Infrared Photography

Landscape Photography

Macro Photography

Nature Photography

Night Photography

Pet Photography

Portrait Photography

Seascape Photography

Travel Photography

Underwater Photography

Wedding Photography

Wildlife Photography

http://www.shotaddict.com/wordpress/2006/10/18/1382.html

Equipments

A camera, a tripod, lenses, filters, developing and printing equipment.

Aperture

A device that controls the amount of light admitted through an opening. In photography and digital photography, aperture is the unit of measurement that defines the size of the opening in the lens that can be adjusted to control the amount of light reaching the film or digital sensor. The size of the aperture is measured in F-stop.

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/aperture.html

Focus

To make the image the sharpest and clearest.

Shutter Speed

In photography and digital photography the shutter speed is the unit of measurement which determines how long shutter remains open as the picture is taken. The slower the shutter speed, the longer the exposure time. The shutter speed and aperture together control the total amount of light reaching the sensor. Shutter speeds are expressed in seconds or fractions of a second. For example 2, 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, 1/2000, 1/4000, 1/8000. Each speed increment halves the amount of light.

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/shutter_speed.html

ISO Speed

ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) is a standard for measuring light sensitivity which happens to function the same way with digital as it does with film. Therefore, your camera's ISO setting determines how sensitive the camera's sensor is to the light that reaches it. A higher ISO setting makes your sensor more sensitive to light, meaning that you can take photos in darker conditions without the need to use a flash or tripod. However, a high ISO also creates more noise, reducing the image quality.

http://www.amateursnapper.com/photography/what-is-iso-speed-setting

Metering

The metering system in a digital camera measures the amount of light in the scene and calculates the best-fit exposure value based on the metering mode explained below. Automatic exposure is a standard feature in all digital cameras. All you have to do is select the metering mode, point the camera and press the shutter release. Most of the time, this will result in a correct exposure. The metering method defines which information of the scene is used to calculate the exposure value and how it is determined. Metering modes depend on the camera and the brand, but are mostly variations of the following three types: Matrix or Evaluative Metering, Center-weighed Average Metering & Spot(Partial) Metering.

http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/key=metering

White Balance

White balance (WB) is the process of removing unrealistic colour casts, so that objects which appear white in person are rendered white in your photo. Proper camera white balance has to take into account the "colour temperature" of a light source, which refers to the relative warmth or coolness of white light. Our eyes are very good at judging what is white under different light sources, however digital cameras often have great difficulty with auto white balance (AWB).

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/white-balance.htm

Composition(Rules)

Composition is the combining of distinct parts or elements to form a whole. In photography that thought is very important in taking good pictures. The following guidelines are just to be thought about though, it is not necessary to try to use them with every picture you take or there wouldn’t be any creativity in your work. Once you learn these rules and strategies you will be more prepared to find great picture spots and opportunities.

http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/photography-the-rules-of-composition/

Techniques

Photographic Composition, Center of Interest, Subject placement, Simplicity, Viewpoint, Camera Angle, Balance, Shapes and Lines, Contrast, Framing, Foreground, Background, Perspective, Basic Lighting Techniques and Composition & Basic Shots.

http://photoinf.com/General/NAVY/Photographic_composition_Balance.htm

JJ(:

Difference between Isometric, Oblique and Orthographic Drawing.

Isometric drawing

Orthographic drawing

Oblique Drawing

Difference between Isometric, Oblique and Orthographic Drawing.

Isometric drawings- A pictorial representation of an object in which all three dimensions are drawn at full scale rather than foreshortening them to the true projection. An isometric drawing looks like an isometric projection but its all lines parallel to the three major axes are measurable. (http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/isometric-drawing.html)

Oblique drawings- They are designed to show a three dimensional view of an object. It is a kind of a drawing that shows one face of the object in true shape, but the other faces on a distorted angle. Oblique is not really a '3D' system but a 2 dimensional view of an object with 'forced depth'. (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_an_oblique_drawing)

Orthographic drawings is a means of representing a three-dimensional object in two dimensions. It is a form of parallel projection, where the view direction is orthogonal to the projection plane, resulting in every plane of the scene appearing in affine transformation on the viewing surface. It is further divided into multi-view orthographic projections and axonometric pictorials. (http://www.answers.com/topic/orthographic-projection-1)

So basically, Isometric drawings is different from Oblique and Orthographic drawings. Oblique and Orthographic drawings are somehow similar to each other except that Oblique drawings shows only one face of the object in true shape whereas Orthographic drawings shows all the faces.

JJ(:

Define the theme-Environment

The surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates.

It is the circumstances, objects, or conditions by which one is surrounded.
The complex of physical, chemical, and biotic factors (as climate, soil, and living things) that act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine its form and survival: the aggregate of social and cultural conditions that influence the life of an individual or community.
Taken from: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/environment

The sum of the total of the elements, factors and conditions in the surroundings which may have an impact on the development, action or survival of an organism or group of organisms.
Taken from: http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=19104

The external conditions, resources, stimuli etc. with which an organism interacts. The totality of the surrounding conditions and elements in an individual.
Taken from: http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Environment

Summary: The Environment is a setting. It will always be changing. It involves the nature, the surroundings, the conditions or influence that affects everyone/everything around. It is also about the factors(development & survival) which might impact on the organisms. The impact may be positive or negative. Besides that, the Environment is also about the social and culture nature in the surroundings.

JJ(:

ADMT Lesson 1: Personal Reflection

This picture shows a caveman. It has no colours as colouring is counted as a form of art. The pattern on his shirt are not designs. Those are holes in his shirt. There is no sign of media in the picture. In the past, during the caveman times, there is no technology at all.
End of write-up.

What does ADMT means to you?
Art: The quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.
Design: To prepare the preliminary sketch or the plans for (a work to be executed), esp. to plan the form and structure of something.
Media: The means of communication, as radio and television, newspapers, and magazines, that reach or influence people widely.
Technology: The branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical means and their interrelation with life, society, and the environment, drawing upon such subjects as industrial arts, engineering, applied science, and pure science.
Source: Dictionary Reference

What are the attitude that an ADMT student should have?
An ADMT student should persevere in whatever they do. They should have a good learning attitude and move towards success. They should also never give up with the support of their friends and teachers.

What are you aspiration as an ADMT student?
My aspiration is to do well in whatever activity is given and I will give it my best.
I also hope to have a good conduct in class and have good progress in learning.

How do you think you can achieve your aspiration?
I can achieve it working diligently and striving for the best.

JJ(: