Installed
Here's the USB Snake Light installed properly. I've taken the photograph from such an angle that the LEDs can be seen. The installation at the bottom of the oven is such that it seems to be part of the instrument.
A designer's progress |
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InstalledHere's the USB Snake Light installed properly. I've taken the photograph from such an angle that the LEDs can be seen. The installation at the bottom of the oven is such that it seems to be part of the instrument.
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Alpha prototypeInstructions: You have been refining solution concepts for two weeks now. This week, you should commit to the design you will take to completion. Task: Submit an ALPHA Prototype. The terms "alpha" and "beta" are somewhat arbitrary. Usually, an "alpha" is something that would not be confused with the final version of the artifact, but which integrates most elements of both appearance and function into a single comprehensive prototype. Your prototype should be able to be tried by users so that you can make final refinements based on the target users testing out your prototype against fulfilling an unmet need. Refined GapProblem Statement: In which way might we design a device that assists the human operator of a gas chromatograph oven? Primary User Needs:
The Prototype: I call my newest refinement the USB Snake Light, because it uses the Snake Light idea, but using a commercially available USB lamp with a flexible neck. How the design fulfill the User Needs: I am to some extent surprised how well the prototype fulfills the user needs. Going through the list: 1.The oven allows humans to work inside it easily: The USB Snake Light helps humans to work inside the oven, because it provides light while leaving both hands free. 2. The oven does not impose stress on components. One stress that I was expecting an oven light to experience was heat in the oven. But because it is completely removable, there is no heat stress. Also, the flexible nature of the neck is inherently stress-free. 3. ! The oven is trustworthy. This one surprised me. The gas chromatograph oven is a very unfamiliar place, and there are few things inside it one would meet in everyday life. The addition of a USB port adds an element of familiarity and the trust engendered by the familiar, highly reliable USB port will be transferred to the oven. 4. The oven's components are easy to access and work on. Because the USB port will be on the front face of the instrument and it will be easy to remove, the USB Snake Light component does not contribute to clutter. 5. The oven is safe to work in. The USB Snake Light runs cool, uses low voltages and has no sharp edges. It therefore does not contribute to the danger of working inside or around the oven, while improving safety through visibility. 6. The oven makes it easy to see where one is working. This is of course the raison d'être of the USB Snake Light. 7. The oven is tidy. With only a flush-faced USB port on the front of the instrument when the USB Snake light is not in use, it is a very tidy design. The Snake Light itself folds up and can be stored in the tool compartment found on the top of the most common GC ovens. Enough talking, let's get to the demonstration. The USB Snake Light: Alpha prototypeI call this an alpha prototype, because it is still a little bit of a hack, but it already works for real. I can demonstrate it to people. The USB ports was salvaged from an old PC, and the other end is wired to the USB port of the gas chromatograph's controller PC.
I demonstrated the alpha prototype to a number of colleagues. They were impressed to various degrees, but the comment that tells me that I'm on the right track asked "Are you going to start a business and sell these to other people?" Below you can see the first steps towards the beta prototype, which will be installed on the instrument. It hides the USB ports connector, and only exposes one, for a more professional look. The channel can be attached to the frame in the space beneath the instrument. I discovered that I own a wonderful device, the memory of which probably inspired my idea of the snake light. It looks very similar to this: It's a USB-powered reading lamp with a flexible stem. These kinds of lights are available on Amazon for a few dollars.
Suddenly my design has taken a turn. Instead of having to design and build a power supply and mounting for the light, all that needs to be done is to install a USB port on the gas chromatograph. This is a much more elegant solution to the problem, involving no ideas foreign to the user, or major hardware changes. The users I have demonstrated it to all seem excited by the idea. |
Week #6The homework for Week 6 comes on this page. |