Portable Air Purifier

User situation and needs: Asthmatic student needs cleaner air in small study spaces and during travel, requiring a compact, quiet, portable purifier.

Current problem: Existing mini purifiers are noisy, weak airflow, hard to clean, unstable, and expensive to maintain with sealed filters.

Required improvement: Redesign for DIY, affordable, quieter operation, stable body, easy‑replace modular filters, and portable USB‑C power.

User situation and needs:

Users needs an easy way to check the time, requiring a clock that is able to track not only time but also adjust to the position of the viewer so that the user knows the time without having to stand up, or grab their cellphone.

Current problem:

The current situation is that clocks are generally not user anymore due to their lack of viewing angles. Children do not learn how to tell time because the clock is impractical to look at.

Required improvement:

Design for wall mounted, tracking clock that allows user to be more efficient. It should know where the user is. The clock should be intuitive, with the clock "hearing" the user, therefore tracking it in 2D space through interaural difference using analog circuits.

User situation and needs:

People who love wine need to be able to reach their favorite or prized wine or other alcoholic drink and drink it. They require a shelf that is able to stably support the wine and transfer it from storage to hand.

Current problem:

Storing a wine bottle in a locked box ruins the ambiance and power of display of the wine itself. This is relevant due to the portion of people drink wine for the social experience, rather than the taste. Existing solutions are storing the wine on a higher shelf, which does not allow the small adults (below 5.5foot) to be able to reach it. This is a pain point. Otherwise, a locked box ruins the aesthetics of having a bottle of wine to display to your guests. And if you don't lock it, you will be harming your children.

Required improvement:

clear viewing window, attention-grabbing highlights (i.e. LED lights to illuminate from the top, a stable base made of solid metal, stable linkage mechanisms. A slowly rotating base plate can serve to further show off the product.

Skateboard beginners need an assist handle to help find balance or change directions more easily.

Current problem:

Current designs only work with skateboards with smooth surfaces. They lack adjustability for different heights, and an inappropriate size can cause danger or too much reliance on the handle, limiting user's ability to learn and improve.

Required improvement:

Adjustability for heights, easily removable, attachable on various skateboard types and surfaces, perhaps other use purposes?

Individuals with dry eyes must apply eye drops daily to provide adequate lubrication for their eyes.

Current problem:

For children and the elderly especially, they may have shaky hands and cannot apply eye drops precisely in one try. For children and many new users, they intuitively close their eyes due to fear of something entering their eyes.

Required improvement

Shaky hands can mostly be addressed with current designs, but users' eyes might not stay open.

Field athletes need a shoepad that can support prolonged running, foot fatigue, and able to easily fit in various spikes

Current problem:

The current shoe pad and the spike itself are too rigid, hence prolonged usage will result in Plantar Fasciitis, Hallux Valgus, which then in turn causes muscle strain and Gait disorder

Required improvement:

redesign its shapes, materials, forms, and functions, aiming at a ergonomicallly fit, performance-enhanced, and pain-relieving shoe pad that can be fit in various spikes.

User situation and needs:

Many drivers use it to secure the phone. Therefore, they could use their phones to navigate and check some messages as well.

Current problem:

Existing car phone holders are not stable. They are always shaking when cars are moving, which often makes phones falling down.

Required improvement:

Redesign to improve the stability of the holder. Also, the holder should be place in most of the cars, no matter how the structure of the car is.

-Problem: Students often don’t know what size curtain rod to buy, and the ones they do buy aren’t sturdy enough, are difficult to install, and collapse easily. (Problem-Image 1)

-Proposed improvement: Ease of installation, durability, and safety. Aiming to simplify installation, enhance stability to prevent tipping, and ensure that even in the event of a collapse, the person in the bed will not be injured.

(Current product-Image 2)

User situation and needs:

Football playing students use it to contain footballs, bibs, long and short cones. They pull this from and to the gym equipment room as their training accessory cart with all public accessories needed.

Current problem:

Existing bottom of the cart contains 4 corners that is open to ensure water to leak out, but the small or soft things in the cart like bibs, cones and other small items will fall out; Also The wheels sometimes get stuck at the transition between carpet and flooring, or on grass; The cart lacks a proper handle, making it hard to pull. Furthermore, the cart is not rainproof; if left outdoors during a downpour, the jerseys stored inside get completely soaked.

required improvement:

Area/section dividsion of putting different items, improve the ceiling of the cart, improve the wheel of the cart, improve the handel of the cart

Users with shortsightedness use contact lenses instead of glasses when doing sports or just for regular daily use for convenience and safety.

Current problem:

Especially for new users and those who don't wear contact lenses frequently, they fear placing a solid piece in their eyes. This causes pain and a lot of time during the process. Current designs forcefully open users' eyes, which can still cause discomfort, pain, and fear.

Required improvement:

A solution that makes the process less painful or scary, reduce time spent struggling, intuitive for new users.

User situation and needs:

When cyclists want to place their bikes in a strange place, they will use a bike lock to lock their bikes in order to ensure no one will steal their bikes.

Current problem:

The steel wire in the lock is not strong and hard enough. It could still be sheared easily. Also, some of the locks are too heavy, which bring much pressure to the bikes.

Required improvement:

Redesign to improve strength of the locks. Also, lower the weight of the lock as much as possible. Besides, it should be easily attached on the bike.

User situation and needs:

often used in dorms and homes, households or students living in boarding schools to hang(to dry) clothes, towels and sometimes shoes.

Current problem:

first, the room of the hanging is limited, and also the current shape of the clothes hanger is not able for students to hang shoes and is not convenient.

Required improvement:

Add a section of hanging football shoes but not making the bad smell spread; add the ability of the product to bend; add different sections to hang different kinds of clothes

-Problem: Sometimes the connectors on wired headphones don’t match the phone’s jack, which makes it a hassle to have to buy a separate adapter; meanwhile, the cables on wired headphones tend to get tangled up easily during use.

-Proposed improvement: Resolve the issue of wired headphones not fitting into the phone's jack (perhaps by adding an adapter next to it), and add a small device to reduce the likelihood of the wired headphones getting tangled (or change the cable material to one that is less prone to tangling).

User situation and needs:

In many sports training, such as football and frisbee, players use training cones to mark some spots or conduct some training items.

Current problem:

Existing training cones are very light, which are not very stable. They may be easily blown away by the wind or accidentally kicked away by the players.

Required improvement:

Redesign the training cones to make it could be attached on the field which would not be blown away by the wind. However, it should be still very easy to place and collect.

problem: athletes/sports players who engage in prolonged usage of professional sports shoes, such as soccer shoes, boots, and baseball cleats, might experience plantar fasciities-a common cause of heel pain caused by inflammation or microscopic tears in the thick band of tissue (plantar fascia) supporting the foot's arch and hallux vulgas a progressive foot deformity where the big toe leans toward the second toe, causing a painful, bony bump on the inner edge of the foot.

required improvement: redesign these slippers (focus on plantar fasciitis healing) into a pair that can be used daily, especially after training, to heal both the plantar fascia and hallux valgus.

User situation and needs:

Students in school playing sports and people around the world use these sports cones as a powerful material to help in their drills and training process as an obstacle or symbol of start/stop.

Current problems:

These cones were made up of plastic, they were light and small, so the will be displaced when there was wind or people accidentally step/touched them. Also, they were made up of plastic that were not so flexible so as people step on them for multiple times, they will broke or have cracks in the middle, so people taking them have a hazard of injury.

Required improvements:

The material of the cones to be more extensible; the cones to have a weight part to make them not fly away when facing wind.

Children needs money, but parent doesn't want the child to spend the money immediately. Moreover, only during specific times is money needed.

Current problem:

Parents (the primary user) can give the child a wallet. However, it is prone to being lost, also prone to be stolen.

Wallets allow the child to access funds that they may not need (An adult wallet can carry many thousands of dollars, and also credit cards with 10000 dollar limits). This implies a financial risk of overspending any time the parent gives the child money.

Required improvement:

Redesign for a wallet that slowly gives out money to the child, in a controlled and orderly manner. Needs to be easily findable (bright orange colour) and also small enough and intuitive enough for a child (3-8 years) to access and spend the money.

Ayi in UWCCSC will eat dinner in a very, very small room. It's about the size of a walk-in closet. This means that ayi needs to eat food in a foldable chair.

Current problem:

Chair is really uncomfortable. No place to put food, must hold food with both hands. It is not an upright posture, not good for elderly ayis who already have various pains from being old.

Required Improvement:

Redesign for Uprightness, ergonomics, foldability, a place to store food while eating so hands can be freed for doing other tasks.

User situation and needs:

Generally, people in houses and dorms need laundry hampers to store their dirty laundry and showering equipments after showering. They lift the Laundry Hamper with clothes that are needed to wash to the washing machine also.

Current problem:

the openwork design makes small bottles of shampoo/soap easy to fell off from the laundry hamper, and the foldable design for the Laundry Hamper made it extremely unstable and would bend in many circumstances that they need to stand on floor.

Required improvements:

make the opening smaller in each part of the Laundry Hamper, set a system which the user can press a place to let the Laundry Hamper bend

User situation and needs:

students in UWC dorm have this table as the main storage and working and gaming place for their life. They put personal items in the cuboard and put large items and daily items like the computer and books on the table.

Curren problem:

The cuboards are still to pull, so it requires a large amount of force to pull out. The cuboard is on the side of the table, making the students' feet uncomfortable and space limited, and for items that need to be clipped onto the table it limits their space also. The table has no sections, so things are often messy.

Required improvement:

The design on the pulley of the cuboard, the design of the table and the cuboard position, the design of the table, add sections to store and work.

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve becomes compressed as it passes through the carpal tunnel (a narrow passageway at the wrist formed by bone and ligament). Gamers and keyboard users are at high risk of this because of:

• Repetitive finger and wrist movements

• Prolonged static postures

• Awkward wrist positioning

• Limited recovery time between sessions

Professional gamers and keyboard users require gloves that improve control and precision, making them ideal for competitive play; moisture-wicking materials keep hands dry; and are designed to reduce strain on hands and wrists, promoting long-term health.

Current Problem:

Complications with sizing and adjustments, the gloves don't have space for the skin to breath resulting in sweating and stickiness, the material is itchy and uncomfortable, ruins precision and speed by being too bulky.

Required improvement:

Redesign to be thinner, breathable, comfortable material that doesn't cause skin irritation and sweat, doesn't effect hand mobility or speed, and for it to fit a larger size percentile.

Professional Solo Competitive Esports players on average spend about 5-6 hours sitting in front of a screen. Such long hours have been found to cause negative physical effects on the body such as eye strain aka gamer eye fatigue. This is caused by a drop in blink rate that starves the eye surface of moisture and oxygen.

Current problem

Current gaming glasses have an anti-reflective coating that reduce glare from screens and ambient lighting. However, scientists state that it doesn't significantly reduce any long term effects caused by competitive gaming and methods like the 20-20-20 rule are more effective. Further more current frame designs have been known to obstruct headsets and put pressure on the ear and leave dents on the upper nose after prolonged wear.

Proposed improvement

I propose a redesign of the material and design of the frames to relieve painful pressure points and prevent dents. Since the 20-20-20 rule is a time based rule, I propose using a timing system that vibrates to alert the user to get up every 20 mins to enforce the rule.

School dormitory bathrooms require regular and proper maintenance. Without such, UTI's can spread fast especially in a school and even faster among girls. Cleaning personnel are hired to maintain the hygiene of these facilities i.e. toilets, bathrooms, sinks etc. and are encouraged to wear protective gear when working. Most cleaning personnel hired is over the age of 45 hence are prone to fatigue and exhaustion.

Current problem

Cleaning for long can cause foot and back pain because of constant standing and bending. Wear and tear of the shoes is inevitable because of poor material in the soles. Water that penetrates the shoes can lead to slips turned injuries that can affect the working ability.

Proposed Improvement

Changing to a thicker sole to increase durability.

Using a non-slip bottom sole or adding ridges to increase friction

Using a high water resistant material.

Increasing flexibility in the toes and changing the strap mechanism to reduce obstruction.

When walking a large or powerful dog, control is not just a convenience — it’s a safety necessity. Breeds like Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Labradors, and Siberian Huskies possess immense strength and stamina. Without a proper harness, even a momentary lunge or pull can strain the handler’s arm, cause neck or shoulder injuries to the dog, or result in accidents on busy streets. A well-designed harness acts as both a control mechanism and a safety buffer, distributing pressure evenly across the dog’s torso and preventing harmful force on delicate areas such as the trachea or spine.

• Harnesses built for power and stability: Large and strong dog breeds, such as Rottweilers, Mastiffs, and German Shepherds, require harnesses engineered for strength, control, and even weight distribution. The right harness minimizes injury risks and enhances handler confidence.

• Control without discomfort: The best harnesses combine durability with comfort. Features like padded chest plates, reinforced stitching, and no-pull front clips help owners maintain control without causing strain on the dog’s neck or shoulders.

• Fit is crucial: Proper measurement ensures the harness doesn’t chafe, restrict movement, or allow the dog to slip free. Adjustable straps and ergonomic designs play a key role in achieving a secure yet comfortable fit.

• Material and durability matter: For Australia’s diverse climate—ranging from humid coastlines to dry interiors—materials that are breathable, UV-resistant, and easy to clean are essential for longevity and comfort.

Source: https://petcareshed.com.au/blogs/pet-supplies/harness-recommendations-for-large-and-strong-dogs

Current Problem:

Blades can harm the dog while walking, not properly adjustable harnesses can slip, causing pain for the dog or for it to slip off, the pulling from the front puts strain onto the dogs joints, can lead to muscle joint issues, can cause mental distress, the material may harm the dog.

Required improvement:

Use a material that is safe for dogs and doesn't cause irritation, easily adjustable, keep the blades away from the dog, does not pull the dog too hard.

Heel pain is a very common foot and ankle problem. You might experience pain, soreness or tenderness anywhere in your heel, but the most common areas are underneath it or the back of it. There are many different health conditions that can cause heel pain, including plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis. Heel pain can make it difficult to walk and participate in daily activities. When heel users use them for a long period of time, heels should at the very least not have any long lasting medical problems for the user. The platform needs to stay elevated while providing some sort of support for the user. The aesthetic properties for the heel must remain simple, fashionable, and matchable with other clothing.

Current problem:

Even though users may only wear heels for special occasions or work, repeated use can have a cumulative effect on the feet. High heels alter user's natural walking mechanics and force certain muscles and ligaments to overcompensate. Over time, this can lead to:

• Shortened calf muscles and reduced flexibility.

• Weakened arches and heel pain.

• Joint misalignment and long-term balance issues.

• Thickened or painful calluses and corns.

These problems don’t just affect the feet, they can travel up the kinetic chain, causing discomfort in user's knees, hips, and lower back. (source: https://www.advancedfootdocs.com/blog/how-high-heels-are-hurting-your-feet-and-what-you-can-do-about-it/) Heels also require extensive cleaning that can be exhausting to users.

Required improvement:

Even while elevated, provide support for the foot, remain aesthetically pleasing, not cause the user long term pain, cleanable material that is easy to maintain.

Primary users are active students, athletes and people who go to gym. After intense practice require quality sleep for good recovery, reducing tension and pain.

Current problem:

Even though pillows are specifically designed for athletes, they are not designed for athletes with broader shoulders, ones who sleep both on their back and on the side. This type of pillows often uses firm materials which sweating. They are not adjustable to a user, thus often the neck height does adapt to users' needs.

Required improvement:

Enhancing shape of pillow to accustom better for need of reducing tension and muscle stress, improving sleep quality. Redesign pillow to make it more adjustable, by adding height regulation; changing current materials to make them more breathable.

Primary users are students who crave silence, or moment of break in busy boarding school environment. Crowded environment can be overwhelming both during night and day hours. Some students would rather mute all the sounds than listen to music on headphones.

Current problem:

Reusable earplugs often fall out of ear when moving, or cause moisture buildup, leading to ear infection. Some of them cause discomfort when sleeping on them or their pressure points hurt ears. Another issue is that when noise cancelation is too strong users cannot hear alarm and are at risk of oversleeping.

Required improvement:

Designing earplugs including all ergonomic factors and sleep on side, adding ventilation system (either through improvement in material or small gaps which would not impact noise cancellation. Investigating methods to make them more personal, yet universal and increase hygiene.

Primary users would be students, who due to their limited time and sense of urgency want to clean their dishes as quickly as possible with the least input. Secondary users would be people without dishwasher who want to minimize time spend on washing the dishes.

Current problem:

The tools for cleaning dishes accumulate a lot of dirt, and are often hard to clean, which slows down the process and makes it annoying for majority of users. Grips and handles of such tools might be slippery and washing the dishes requires repetitive wrist or arm movement - causing fatigue over longer periods. These tools (like sponges, or brushes) often do not accustom to uneven surfaces or harder-reach corner decreasing their effectiveness.

Required improvements:

Making tool more multifunctional, through changing its shape, moreover improving handle to decrease user fatigue when washing larger amount of dishes. Investigate materials to discover which are most sustainable, durable and easy to clean.

1. User needs (Who is the user, what task they are trying to complete) - 20 words

The user are high level athletes or developing athletes, they want to progress and lower their times, they also need to fix their posture while running.

2. Problem (where does user stuggle, what is the evidence) - 20 words

Athletes have to fix their posture to progress and have a clean running posture, when athletes run they have no awareness of the time they are making, because of the speed or how tired they are, they can´t tell for themselves, resulting in lack of progress, most of the time they need someone to take the time and evaluate them. Evidence: My own experience and peers from my athletics team.

3. Proposed improvement (what needs to be redesigned or improved) - 20 words

Adding a vibrator or something that conveys sensorial responsiveness so the athlete can know how are they doing, also making it more optimal for sports, with more ventilation and less friction.

4. Image of existing product that needs to be redesigned

1. User needs (Who is the user, what task they are trying to complete) - 20 words

The user are high level athletes or developing athletes, they want to recover properly after an exigent training and they don´t really have a lot of time.

2. Problem (where does user stuggle, what is the evidence) - 20 words

Athletes have to make their end of training routine, which includes stretching and other techniques, in there also there´s the use of the roller, which is so difficult to use and it takes time because it doesn´t adjust to the muscle, taking much more time.

3. Proposed improvement (what needs to be redesigned or improved) - 20 words

Making the roller adjustable in form, so it can adapt to the muscle groups ans use it easier, I also would make it in a way that the spikes can be replaced too from softer to harder, depending on the objective.

4. Image of existing product that needs to be redesigned

The user of this product are the teachers of the school. They need a box that can help them to put all their whiteboard markers.

Current problem

Although any box can serve the function of containing marker pens, the users still face the following problem.

1. Not able to identify between used and unused markers.

2. Find it difficult to recycle the used markers

3. The tap used to fix the container can leave marks that are hard to remove on the wall or white board when the container is removed.

4. If more than one teacher are using the room, they may find the place of the container not fit in their height or habit.

Design Opportunities

The problem with current design can be solved by designing a container just for markers. It should be hanged on the wall without using nails or pins. It should have multiple sections for markers with different color. It should also be carefully designed for markers in different size. Magnet can be used fix the container on white boards.

It is important for sailors to stay hydrated on the ocean, especially for small boats during long races. Sailors need a place to put their small belongings like water bottle and sunscreen in a place that is easy to reach. This bag needs to be water-proving and floating on water.

Currently Problem

The current design serves the function of water-proving and floating. However most of them are designed for people to carry while sailors don't usually carry them when they are on the sea. They are also hard to open and usually do not have partitions for different stuffs.

I can improve the design by applying the design on some school bags to the sailors bag. Add a brace around it to fix it on the boat and make it easier to open and close by redesigning the open.

Current Problem: Parents can experience back pain when teaching outdoors, and children can often fall, causing injuries or discourage.

Required improvement: Redesign it to simulate a realistic experience with a tilting base, removable training wheels, and adjustable pedal resistance.

User needs a socket that have high expandability and can be used to charge different devices at the same time. It should also be used in more than one countries in the world and aesthetically pleasing.

Current problem

The current sockets are similar in design and boring. They are usually designed for only one county. The traveling sockets are generally in low quality and heavy.

Design Opportunities

I want to design a socket that is aesthetically pleasing(Nothing design/ Material 3 design?). That uses plugins to fit to standard of different countries. It should also allow the users to charge multiple devices on the same socket.

Current problem: Current food dispensers might overfeed pets, leave food exposed to potential pests, and rely on external programming.

Required improvement: Redesign the dispenser with a manual timer dial and an automatic sliding cover.

Problem: HHanging footrests which connect to tray tables become unusable when passengers eat because they lack height control and stability.

Proposed improvement: The existing product needs improvement through a design transformation which will create a footrest. The footrest will have a rigid structure which allows for height adjustment. The footrest will secure to the seat frame but maintain its ability to fold for transportationt

Problem: Standard gardening tools have narrow straight handles that require forceful grip and bent posture for use.

Proposed improvement: Redesign with extended ergonomic handles, rotating grips, and angled heads to reduce bending and grip force.

Slow-feeder bowls are one of the simplest, most effective ways to make mealtime healthier and more fun for dogs. They can be game changers for dogs who eat too quickly, need mental enrichment, or could benefit from better portion control.

Current problem:

• Cleaning Challenges: The complex, narrow ridges and corners (especially in the "flower" pattern) are difficult to clean, often requiring a specialized brush to remove food residue and saliva.

• Durability and Safety: The plastic can be chewed by determined dogs, potentially causing them to swallow plastic pieces. Some users have reported the coating flaking off over time.

• Not Suitable for All Breeds: Flat-faced (brachycephalic) dogs like Pugs, Bulldogs, or Boxers may struggle to reach food in the deep crevices, leading to frustration.

• Frustration and Stability: If not used with wet food for grip, the bowl can slide around the floor. If the maze is too complex, it may cause a dog to give up or become agitated, particularly with the last few pieces of food.

• Less Effective for Some Dogs: While it works for many, some dogs may learn to solve the puzzle very quickly. 

Required improvement:

1. cleaning challenges - one redesign opportunity for this disadvantage is making the surface of the bowl more smoother with no sharp edges. The top layer (the maze like one) can be removable for easy cleaning in the corners that food usually sticks to.

2. Accesability for different breeds - if the top can be removable, that means that there can be different kinds of top you can put. This can make the product more accessibly without having to buy 2 or 3 more bowls if a user has different dog breeds. If the top is “clip on” and removable, first it will make the cleaning easier and more effective and two, the user can change the top to be suitable for different dog breeds.

3. Durability and safety - thicker striucture or material, also the material doesn’t necceserally have to be plastic (rubber is safe for dogs too) which means the dog won’t be able to swallow plastic

4. Stability - adding a “stopper” on the bottom to make it non slippery

5. Less effective for some dogs - if it’s clip on then the user can change different mazes to make it more engaging for the dog and interesting each time.

• Anthropometric sizing

• Space sufficiency within the suitcase

• Seating area could be more comfortable

• Weight distribution

Targeted audience: Children aged 3-7

Current issue noticed:

• Seating was often uncomfortable due to the rigid materials.

• Complex shape made it difficult to store items.

• Lack of support for seating

Bike rider don't want their hands to be sweaty while riding. But at the same time they want to wear gloves to protect their hands .

Problem

Hands to be sweaty

Dog treat dispenser are worldy recognized as a very effective learning opportunities for dogs to control their feeding and for the user to be able to remote reward the animal from distance.

Remote rewarding involves rewarding a dog even when you can’t (or don’t want to be) directly next to them. Remote rewarding can be used to teach a wide variety of behaviors where the handler isn’t physically close to the dog, from driving forward in dog agility to building duration sit and down stays at a distance, to helping with door manners.

Current problem:

• Weight Management Issues: Many dispensers allow for overfeeding, leading to obesity if not strictly monitored.

• Dog Frustration: Dogs may become stressed, anxious, or develop "frenzy" behaviors (e.g., barking, zoomies) if they cannot easily get the treats, or if the food gets stuck.

• Durability and Safety Concerns: Many toys are designed for licking, not chewing. Intense chewers can break off and ingest pieces of plastic.

• Cleaning Difficulties: Complex mechanical feeders or toys with intricate inner parts are often hard to disassemble and wash thoroughly, which can lead to bacteria buildup.

• Noise Levels: Hard plastic toys can be noisy on hard floors.

• Multi-Dog Conflicts: In households with more than one dog, treat dispensers can trigger competitive behavior and food-guarding aggression.

• Limited Food Types: Most dispensers are designed for dry kibble or specific treat sizes and cannot handle wet food.

• Requires Monitoring: Many toys can get stuck under furniture, requiring owner intervention, or need to be picked up to avoid destruction. 

Disadvantages of Automatic/High-Tech Dispensers: 

• Mechanical Failures: Jams can occur if kibble is too large, causing missed treats.

• Battery/Power Dependency: If batteries die, the device may stop functioning.

• Fear Factor: The noise of the dispenser mechanism can startle sensitive or anxious dogs.

• High Cost: Advanced, app-controlled, or camera-equipped models can be expensive

Design opportunities:

1. Weight management issues: a design opportunity can be a mechanism where the user can input the dogs data (weight, size, etc). This way when the button is pressed, it will only release the amount recommended for different types of dogs.

2. Dog frustrations:

3. Durability and safety: rubber container, prevents chewing and is safe for dogs.

4. Cleaning difficulties: detachable structure and smooth surfaces to allow easy disassembly and thorough cleaning.

5. Noise levels: add soft materials on the bottom, that can be non slippery and not make noise or scratch the floor.

6. adjustable openings or interchangeable components to accommodate different treat sizes and food types.

7. Monitoring: build in camera that can be accesses through a phone app

• More higher-quality materials for straps and organizing section to withstand weight

• Reduce bulkiness for easier carrying

• To comply for those who intend on using it two-handed

• Safety locks and or hooks

• Secure sections for heavier items, avoiding fallout

• Consider anthropometric sizing (could be smaller? slightly larger? etc...)

Targeted audience: Tourists, travellers, hikers

Current issues noticed:

• Often was in the way during usage due to its bulkiness and size

• Lack of security across the body due to the strap

• Compartment sizes were not always suitable for specific items

• Lack of rigid form (?)

• Lack of portability (adding wheels?)

• Carrying heavy load

• Lack of sections for organization of coloured or dyed items

• Storage for detergent packs or tissues

• Sizing and form that could be suitable for dormitory set-up

Targeted audience: Boarding school students/ residential dormitory

Aged 15-18

1. User needs (Who is the user, what task they are trying to complete) - 20 words

The user are Energetic Dog owners, specially those who have energetic small dogs, they want to walk their dogs without getting their wrist pulled every 5 minutes, they want a way to control their dogs without making too much effort.

2. Problem (where does user stuggle, what is the evidence) - 20 words

Energetic dogs owners have to be pulling their dogs or being pulled by them constantly when walking them, it hurts their wrist and they feel their arm too tired when they come back home. Also based on self experience with my little energetic dog, but I also have seen other dog owners in my community with the same issue

3. Proposed improvement (what needs to be redesigned or improved) - 20 words

Making the Leash to transfer the force so it´s not that hard and suddenly, relieving the user from the constant effort of the dog trying to pull so hard because they saw a butterfly and also it´s more comfortable for the dog when the owner pulls them to not go to the street or something.

4. Image of existing product that needs to be redesigned

   
   

Problem: Traditional clay pot coolers are heavy, breakable, cannot be folded for transport, and have no organized space for bottles or food separation.

Proposed improvement: Redesign with collapsible folding walls, dual-layer sand chamber between walls, and internal modular compartments for bottles and food items.

Current problem: Existing smart bulbs always include crazier features and a higher price.

Required improvement: Redesign the light bulb to be cheaper, with the only function of serving as an alarm and feature progressive brightness increase and alarm sound.

Women often feel unsafe in public spaces because they are often prone to theft cases

They need a small, well organized and slash resistant purse that can't be snatched easily from the shoulder.

Current problem

Most anti-theft purses are uncomfortable on the shoulder, hard to clean and not organization friendly. since they are cross- body, they are not designed to match aesthetics of an outfit.

Improvement

Making a more aesthetically pleasing bag that is organize based and easy to clean. Making the strap more comfortable or changing the design entirely.

User situation and needs:

In frisbee, people will use tactical board to simulate some tactics. The coach will use the magnets on the board to represent different positions in order to instruct the players.

Current problem:

The magnets' magnetic strength are too weak, which sometimes fall down accidentally. Also, there is not enough space to showcase the tactics, which requires more space.

Required improvement:

Increase the magnetic strength of the magnets or create a place to storage the magnets. Also, create more space for the board to have more instruction area.

Bike riders what to carry a backpack with them but in warm weather their back will be sweater.

Solution

Designing a bag that they don't have to where them on their back but just put it in the back wheels top free space. The top of the bag will also have a bicycle sign on it that lights during night.

Artists (or people who work on desks in general) usually have incredibly bad posture. this is often called "Shrimp posture" where your back is arched for long periods of time. Full-time artists spend hours in front of a computer (if digital artists) or canvas in this position. In the long term, "shrimp syndrome" can lead to particularly debilitating chronic pain. Carpal tunnel syndrome, a nerve compression characterized by numbness or unpleasant electric shocks, is another example. "Shrimp syndrome" is unforgiving and can even affect unexpected parts of the body. If you experience acid reflux, slow digestion, and bothersome bloating that interferes with your concentration, it might be time to re-evaluate your posture and get back to being more human.

Current problem:

Currently, there are medical corsets that exist to get rid of this problem and help people in this position have a better posture and prevent future medical issues. But corsets can also cause a variety of long-term health problems.

Risks & Long-Term Effects on Posture

While the immediate effects of corsets may feel beneficial, experts caution against relying on them for long-term posture correction. Extended or frequent use can create negative consequences, as the body may become dependent on external support. Many question whether do corsets really improve posture long term, and research suggests that they do not.

Weakening Core Muscles

Corsets provide external support that reduces the need for your abdominal and back muscles to engage fully. Over time, this can lead to muscle weakening, as the body relies on the garment instead of building natural strength. A weaker core may worsen posture once the corset is removed.

Spinal Alignment Concerns

Incorrectly fitted or overused corsets can push the spine into unnatural positions. This may cause discomfort, tension, or even long-term alignment issues, particularly if worn too tightly or for prolonged periods.

Breathing & Comfort Issues

Tight compression around the torso can limit lung expansion, making deep breathing more difficult. Over time, this restriction can affect stamina and comfort, discouraging consistent wear or proper posture when the corset is off.

Digestive & Organ Pressure

Prolonged corset use can place pressure on internal organs, leading to issues such as acid reflux, bloating, or mild digestive discomfort. The effect is more pronounced if the corset is excessively tight or worn immediately after meals.

Circulation Limitations

Excessive compression may impair blood flow in the midsection, causing numbness, tingling, or cold sensations in the torso or lower extremities. Maintaining healthy circulation is critical, so extended wear should be avoided.'

https://www.outdoll.com/blogs/news/do-corsets-improve-posture

Required improvement:

Change how the corset functions in terms of tightness, make it more adjustable in its options to suit all users. It should be comfortable to wear for long periods of time with minimalized health risks. The material should be something easy to maintain, the parts should be replaceable to account for cost. The corset should allow you to both walk around and sit down without feeling discomfort.

User is high-school gardening teens that volunteer to take care of their school garden by watering plants especially during the summer where the heat is too much and they require frequent watering.

The school uses a single hose system to water all the plants on a relatively small piece of land. The hose gets stuck between on the sectioning poles often and water to the plants gets blocked, inconveniencing the user. The pipe is switched on and off from one tap and therefore can't sustainably support single person useage. The limitation of mobility leads to uneven spraying of the plants.

Current problem:

Existing solutions reqire frequent refilling

Have poor hand ergonomics

Source of fatigue after repeated spraying

Uncmfortable to hold/ have no extra support

limited spray control

Required imporvement:

Ergonomic handle for highschool students' size

Nozzle shape for better spray

Extra support like wrist/ arm attachment to increase comfort

Adding water storage compartment to solve frequent refilling.