"THE BAND" BY VIRGIN VOYAGES
In partnership with Virgin Voyages, Fjord (now Accenture Song) was tasked with delivering an original wearable design for VV’s brand new cruise ships.I lead the multidisciplinary team on a lightning-fast program tackling the entire design process from initial ideation, prototyping and user testing all the way to documentation and support for manufacturing.
We wanted to create a design that feels right at home with the rest of the Virgin Voyages brand and their "adults only" target demographic in the context of an all new cruise ship experience. With a strong focus in comfort and ease of use, it should feel familiar and non-obtrusive, it should feel equally appropriate for beach days in bikinis, exploring rocky ruins, sunset photo shoots on the top deck, and glamorous evenings in cocktail dresses.
With Virgin Voyages having a strong focus on sustainability, both the bracelet and shell are made with recycled, ocean plastics. The bracelet is gifted as a souvenir for "Sailors" to keep after the ship reaches its final destination, adding meaning and a new life for the product.
The Band was selected as the winner of the 2020 SF Design Week Award for the Travel and Hospitality category.
AMPS AIR+
Following Sol Republic's original Amps Air, the new, true wireless earbuds take the sophisticated design of their predecessors to the next level.
Improving on sound quality and with a strong focus on a comfortable and secure fit they are designed to be seamless. Featuring an IPX5 water-resistant build, they are a great option any workout. A compact and streamlined charging case provides 4 additional charges and fits comfortably even in the smallest of pockets.
Sol Republic came to MAST a few years after their original lineup was released to design a series of new products for their big comeback in 2020. As a lead designer my role involved everything from concept development, ergonomics studies and prototyping all the way to creating the iconic texture for the silicon sleeves using algorithmic design techniques in the search for the perfect balance to exude precision and sophistication.
The Amps Air+ were released in the market in early 2020 and are available for purchase through the Sol Republic website and Amazon.
META 2 AR DEVELOPER'S KIT
Meta was an Augmented Reality Startup based off of Los Gatos, CA. After a successful Kickstarter campaign, a series A round and the shipment of their first developer kit, they reached out to frog design mid 2015 to work on the design development of their second headset, the Meta 2. The new device offered 2.5K resolution, the largest field of view out there and direct hand interactions.
I had the opportunity to lead the Industrial Design development for the project. The main challenge was managing large-scale components (including optical elements) in a way that was ergonomic, comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. The goal was to take the device a step closer to a consumer product more so than a Developer's Kit that traditionally focuses more on functionality than usability and aesthetics. The resulting design is comfortable, functional and has a more premium feel.
After the completion of the project the company was able to raise another successful B round of funding. The Meta 2 Developer Kit started shipping late 2016. The headset has been published by all the main technology publications and even shared the TED stage with Meta's CEO, Meron Gribetz.
Sadly the headset is no longer in production due to manufacturing complications during the 2020 pandemic.
REVL ARC ACTION CAMERA
The Revl Arc is an action camera with built-in, mechanical stabilization and on-the-go editing capabilities via a proprietary app. This project was part of frog Ventures, the strategic branch of frog design that works with early stage start-ups. The team was able to bring Revl's idea to life by developing everything from a brand new visual identity to hardware design.
The multidisciplinary project included Strategy, Brand, Industrial and Interaction Design efforts to create a new, easier to use and more approachable action camera.
The multidisciplinary project included Strategy, Brand, Industrial and Interaction Design efforts to create a new, easier to use and more approachable action camera.
I led a team of industrial designers in the short and intense process of bringing a concept to fruition in just over two months. My responsibilities included everything from mentorship to sketching, digital modeling, prototype fabrication, rendering and pitching our work to the client. The design was meant to set the device apart from the competition by accentuating the rotary stabilization feature through form factor and texture. With a limited real estate, every design decision served a purpose. Even the layout of the internal components went through numerous iterations to keep the overall package as small as possible. The mechanical attachment features were inspired by bayonet mechanisms used in traditional 35mm cameras to provide a fast and intuitive experience. A series of interchangeable, rubber front bumpers are included in the kit so the user can add a little bit of personality to the camera while protecting the most vulnerable part of the camera, the lens. When used in an array, the different colors help identify each camera for the "real time editing" feature on the app.
The project was done over the course of 9 weeks and after a successful Indiegogo campaign, the camera started shipping late 2017.
OLIVE SMART BRACELET
Olive is a smart bracelet that can help you better analyze and manage your stress. It tracks your heart rate, skin temperature, skin conductance and motion and analyzes bad habits that make your stress levels rise. The device pairs with your smartphone and serves as a guide to help you manage your stress levels over time. When a high-stress situation is detected, the bracelet and app will prompt the user to partake in different relaxing and mindfulness exercises, through the use of haptic feedback and light, designed to lower stress levels and put the mind at ease.
I had the opportunity to work with the wonderful Olive Labs team on the development and design of their first product, the Olive smart bracelet back in 2013. I designed the hardware for both the band and charger and collaborated with the rest of the team on the development of the overall experience. Meant to be worn by both men and women, the industrial design is clean and simple yet considered and very comfortable. The main housing wraps only around the user's inner wrist corner, adapting to different wrist sizes. The housing incorporates an array of individually addressable LEDs that shines through the textured, hypoallergenic, soft silicone bracelet to indicate different notifications.
Olive reached its crowd funding goal of $100,000 on Indiegogo in 2013.
SAGE SMART OVEN
Sage is a smart countertop cooking appliance designed for Freescale Semiconductor while working at frog design. It leverages Solid State Frequency (RF) technology paired with convection heating to enable fresh, chef-quality meals with virtually no effort or prep time. The new technology controls when and how much energy is directed into food depending on its molecular content, allowing the user to cook different types of products at the same time to perfection.
I led a team of 2 junior industrial designers throughout the entire process in collaboration with other disciplines, including Strategy, Visual and UX Design. The main goal was to create a prototype for Freescale Semiconductor so they could showcase their brand new technology to other OEMs to get buy-in for the new microwave technology.
The cylindrical design completely breaks away from the traditional, rectangular form factor. The kitchen countertop real estate is one of the most competitive and crowded areas in a home. The new product needed to stand out from the crowd while also remaining functional. The door sits on a rotating platform that automatically closes and opens to reveal the finished meal. While the appliance has its own app, users can access the settings directly on the device through the matte finish display and cap touch buttons.
