Brad Ascalon

The Altruistic Imperative. Changing the Design Process, Changing Design

In 1964, 22 visual communicators developed the ‘First Things First’ Manifesto, a framework that admitted to contributing to a field where the majority of output was trite and meaningless. The manifesto called for a field of worthwhile social endeavors.

My thesis work is an investigation into the current state of Industrial Design with similar thoughts in mind. Design has created entirely too many menial objects that have no real societal benefits, and consequently has promoted the devastation of our ecosystems.

While students are preached the importance of need-based design and sustainability, they are still mere suggestions in the field and the classroom. This work offers a new framework for designers and students alike to design compassionately as a characteristic of what the field is, within the constraints of a Capitalistic society.

Interested? Email Brad here!

Emilie Baltz

OPEN WIDE: The Effect of Cultural Mythology on the American Appetite

“Show me what you eat and I’ll show you who you are.”
-Brillat-Savarin

Food.
Our foundation.

Nutritionally and historically, food is the primal medium of cultural exchange and growth. Societies develop based on stories, “mythologies,” passed around a table from generation to generation. Over time, these stories become tradition, woven into the fabric of culture. In a country filled with health and obesity problems, one shudders to imagine the future of American culture. This project has as a goal to identify the manifestations of American mythology in the food industry and provide viable alternatives to seemingly destructive consumption habits in the U.S.

Todd Brunner

Product Sound Design: How Animation Leads the Way

In recent years, products from companies such as Philips and Renault have shown the potential for sound in product design. But where does an aspiring product sound designer go to learn the tricks of this new trade? One of the best places to look may be Saturday morning cartoons. While the animation industry may seem far removed from the world of product design, they have many similar concerns. Since the early 1900s, animation sound designers have been refining their skills at everything from conveying emotion to enhancing brand image. This thesis will show how their techniques can be applied to the field of product sound design.

For more on Product Sound Design, email Todd.

Hyunjoo Chung

Investigating the Future of the American Heirloom:
From the Industrial Revolution to the Present

As the technology advances and products are being mass produced so easily, the life of a product is getting shorter and people are more willing to part with their belongings for a “better” one. People are less likely to hold onto their family heirlooms if they have any. This has led me to question if any of these one-year-only objects will last throughout our time. My thesis investigates several examples of significant past products including antiques and collectables that have endured and have been beloved throughout history. By understanding why and how these things survived, we may gain better understanding of how to create the objects that we may want to hold onto.

Have an heirloom to share? Send it to Hyunjoo!

Stacey Greenebaum

PRODUCT VOODOO:
An Exploration of the Extra-Rational Life of Objects

"Product Voodoo" refers to the fact that people, at some level, expect certain objects in their lives to help them in some way, much as a "voodoo doll" might. This paper examines the many scenarios in which people treat objects or artifacts in their lives as more than simply utilitarian, material objects; examples include attachment to rare or treasured objects, assigning living qualities to objects, forming collections of objects, use of religious objects, buying more than we need, (object) fetishes, and, of course, voodoo dolls. This work and some primary research has led, among other things, to the production of over 60 tiles, each of which is designed to appeal to (what I discovered is) our need for a certain amount of clarity in meaning and/or narrative.



Thoughts for Stacey? Email here here!

Sarah Hartman

Sustaining Light

Electric light is a tool we use every day as well as a poetic medium with lyrical associations. Its evocative qualities can delight, quiet, soothe, enliven. Light permeates our environments, but nowhere as profoundly as in our most intimate spaces: at home. An essential part of living well, lighting is often overlooked as fundamental to effective settings and establishing a sense of well-being. This thesis examines the role of light in our lives, focusing on what a dynamic illuminated atmosphere entails and developing a unique system comprised of separate elements designed to work together within a space to create a sustaining illuminated environment.

Let Sarah shed more light on her subject.

Ben Hopson

DESIGNING MOVEMENT:
An Aesthetic Investigation of Motion in Product Design

Through this thesis project, I sought to add beauty and interest to products by investigating the ways in which movement can be designed. While product designers have several techniques and tools at their disposal to improve the appearance of things, when it comes to how an object moves through space, designers are somewhat at a loss. Over the last year, I have developed methods of sketching kinetic concepts and a working vocabulary to discuss them.

Question for Ben? Send him a note!

Su Hyun Hwang

A New Vision for product design through visual perception:
“The third eye in my mind”


As time progresses, the standard of beauty has slightly changed. A simple form is a symbol that has strong recognition and appeal to customers. We have millions of products that come out of the market every day. In this environment, it is a requirement to make a product that is easily remembered and unique. The first real shirt pocket Japanese radio, the TR63 designed in 1955, has the same design elements as the I-pod, 2002. Then can’t we just ascribe function to the forms? There are forms that people are familiar with in any period. Then is there a form that people prefer?

Learn more about sight. Email Su.

Kai Jaffe

Design with Respect:
An Innovation Process to Benefit People, the Planet, and Profits


Humans and nature are no longer in equilibrium with each other. We are living a life that harms rather than furthers life. Once we understand that we are in the midst of a crisis that seems to be getting worse, if we do not change what we are doing, than we are only hurting ourselves more. We must make a change in the industrial design field from killing the earth with our thoughtlessness, to respecting the planet and all who live on it with us.

For industrial designers to design products that are low-impact ones, culturally relevant for the user, economically viable for both the producer and the consumer, ecologically compatible with nature’s systems, and that integrate modern technology to solve problems, a new design innovation process must be developed that posits a new motivation for the designer to design with. Kai’s thesis proposes a new design innovation process: Design with Respect.

Ask Kai a question!

Mimi Kirmaci

Meet me at the letters.
A study of the notion of “knowing a place” and “addition to a space”.

“Things used to be better, because there were no solutions and therefore no problems”.
Marcel Duchamp


This exploration is about implementing the quality and productivity of the lives of pedestrians for the sake of readable, understandable environment by creating humane and enjoyable places to live, work, recreate, grow and raise children without taking the design issue so seriously.

Inspired by movements and daily life in the urban space, such as skateboarding, jogging, biking, shopping, wandering around, baby strolling and long walks through familiar and new environment, and observing the immense amounts of personal expression in public space, the 19th century flaneur and public art, concepts derived from emotions, I planned to create a project, which encourages the urban dweller to appreciate his surroundings with a different approach for the organization of the sidewalk scene.

Questions? Send Mimi a mail!

Nancy Lin

MINDFUL MOBILITY: Rehabilitation Products For A New Generation of Multiple Sclerosis.

This thesis explores the disconnect between the knowledge for rehabilitation in Multiple Sclerosis patients and the need for rehabilitation in order to ease the daily living of a progressively degenerative disease. Through these explorations, mindful mobility becomes the basis for a series of investigations that incorporate ideas for new rehabilitation in the comforts of home.

Follow Nancy's progress. Email her here.

Bernard Lo

Fabric-based Electronics

Imagine the possibilities with fabric-based electronics!
Soft fabric-based electronics in consumer products would achieve a new form of ‘materialistic comfort’ to enhance in the age of digital lifestyle. It can forever change the way we perceive lifestyle interactions between digital electronics and people.

Fabric-based products would offer intrinsic flexible ergonomics and structural durability, as well as provide greater forms in soft aesthetics. Fabric-based electronics will allow users to assimilate digital lifestyle much easier and comfortably due to the material nature that provides comfort and perceptual connectivity. In addition, fabric-based electronics will provide better sustainable material in resources and environmental disposability.

Talk more with Bernard.

Alexander Reh

Lessons in Absurdity

"It is the absurdity in life that makes it interesting." - Galleta Fortuna.

This thesis works to heighten appreciation of the absurd and uncover new possibilities in its application to design. Through the ability of humor to make "sense in nonsense," Alexander explores this relationship in the third dimension and sheds light on the lessons learned.

Laugh more. Email Alex.

Ted Rowan

Reaching for Tomorrow:
A Simplified Prosthetic for an Increasingly Complex World

This thesis is attempting to create a new type of above-elbow upper extremity prosthetic. Incorporating motors, and springs instead of electronic sensors and processors, the new prosthetic arm will be more easily produced, maintained, and repaired in Third World countries. This hybrid prosthetic will incorporate a switch activated motor as well as body-powered solutions. This is only the beginning of a long inquiry of development and testing to make it safe, dependable, light and comfortable. The journey has just begun…

Find out more by emailing Ted.

Omer Sazir

The de-colonization of night:
How design can reconnect us with nocturnal objects and our natural rhythm

Humanity has colonized darkness with the flip of a switch—and design has done relatively little to enhance our experience, health, and needs at night. Since everything is different at night time, my thesis seeks to examine creation myth versus reality, dark versus light, and human night capabilities versus those of nocturnal animals—and how these factor in our sleep-deprivation. My thesis communicates the theory that just as nocturnal creatures look and behave differently, objects used in the dark should act and be designed differently, and in ways that change how we perceive them. Three nocturnal products provide solutions to a few of the problems that night presents to our photophilous population.

Talk to Omer about your dreams

Shannon South

K.I.T. *Kisses, Interaction, Technology
communication in a mediated society

This thesis is an attempt to understand the social consequences of extreme reliance on digitally mediated interaction tools. As the 'third place' becomes virtual and a significant portion of communication is mediated, one might wonder if and how social norms in the real world will change. Comparing communication interfaces and trying to understand their effect on interactions has led me to question how people's face-to-face social skills are evolving. Perhaps there may be a need for instruments that promote direct communication or provide social rehabilitation to digitally-overdosed people?

Visit Shannon's BLOG: supremelovestory.blogspot.com
Email her here.

Do Hyun Yoo

Visual Communication: Practical use of sign, symbol and pictogram

Much of visual communication today can be traced to symbols of the past. Symbol is the most modernized visual language. It is used in various fields in our lives and it already has become a part of our environment. Symbols have been used not only in public space but also in parts of some products like computers, cellphones and automobile switches. The goals of my thesis are to see how many people have a clear understanding of symbols and to find a more effective way of recognizing them.

Chat more with Do!