#dsdn104project3

Final Model for 104 project 3 Summary:

The idea was to create a form that could be held by either hand comfortably. So I started researching  grab-able ambidextrous objects. I decided to focus on joysticks and bike handles as they can be held by either hand and are used in everyday events. For my form I also added a little bit of psychological security. A "guard" above the middle and ring finger serves little utility but creates a good, secure feeling. It made it feel sturdy and protective while still being comfortable (you don't feel like you'll drop it. My form felt like it would slip  out of your hand before the "guard"). The same can be said for the thumb holders, although those are mostly there so they can obviously be seen as where your thumb should sit.

The form can also be held in multiple ways depending on the size of your hands, people with bigger hands would often rather leave their thumb out of the thumb holder. This is why I have made a slight gap in the thumb holder, so the holder can rest their thumb wherever they want.

The design Exorsus means ‘Beginning’ in Latin. The design is inspired by historical stone tools and its asymmetrical/ irregular shapes. This modern approach to the historical stone tools reflects the human history and depicts the passage of time The design focus on the grip between the thumb and in the index finger. In additional, the object has a subtle curve that fits the Therior of the human hand which was inspired by the shapes of a soap disposer (in part A of project).The object is designed for the left hand.

My model for Project 3 was intended to be held in a more relaxed manner than is suggested by the ‘Grip-Grab-Grasp’ project title. I wanted a form that would sit comfortably in the hand, rather than to be physically picked up and gripped. To achieve this I analysed how the hand naturally sits when it is relaxed, and picking out certain curves and lines to incorporate into the form. I then used play-dough to quickly experiment with various forms, allowing the model to grow of its own accord using the lines and shapes I had identified. Using Solidworks alongside the play-dough, I then tried to construct the model out of foam. This model wasn’t aesthetically pleasing, or very comfortable because I’d made mistakes with dimensions. It prompted me to branch off in a different and more exciting direction, again using the play-dough and Solidworks, and taking the model right back to the basic ideals.

I settled on a very organic form. The model has two distinct sides: one plain, and the other more complex. Early on I identified that the fingers sit most comfortably on a curved, even surface, so this side is simple and rounded. The other side deals primarily with the thumb. There are two concave areas for the base and the tip of the thumb, and a protrusion between the two to keep the model in contact with the entire length of the thumb as it rests on it. Above these features, the form curls over the lower part of the thumb in an almost protective manner, which means there is more contact between the model and the hand, which in turn increases the sense of connection between the user and the form.

This curl over the thumb gives the model a subtly dynamic look by drawing the eye across the broad top surface and out along the sharper edge. This shape also mimics the way the fingers curl around the outside of the form, which lends transition and movement to the form. The model is tapered towards the back, and is concave underneath so it is raised up on its endpoints; this draws the eye along the model from front to back, and adds to the dynamic aesthetic.

The model requires relatively little effort to hold it, and the experience is comfortable and enjoyable. It is primarily designed to sit in the right hand, resting along the front of the thumb and held by the fingers, and it works in much the same way for the left hand too.

In this project I enjoyed using the play-dough as a medium for designing quickly in three dimensions. I found that because of this, I relied much less on sketching to visualise my ideas, and it also allowed me greater freedom of imagination. Modelling these forms digitally proved a challenge because they were very organic and curvilinear, which Solidworks doesn’t do well because it is a more engineering-oriented program. However, it did encourage me to think more realistically about my models, after the freedom of the play-dough. Foam was very easy to work with after a bit of practise, which allowed me to make several prototypes quickly and find out if the model would actually work when constructed with the required material.