STROKE
Stroke was designed as part of an experimental Adobe Creative Jam conducted at the Tyler School of Art. Participants were split into groups of three and given two weeks to complete their devices for presentation. Stroke was awarded the Second Place Prize by a panel of industry professionals. All work shown here is of my own individual creation.
Instructors:
Caleb Briggs-Hasey
Scott Laserow
CONCEPT
ACCESSIBILITY
Stroke allows the visually impaired to safely swim in nearly every standard shaped swimming pool. It does this by scanning the boundaries of the pool itself to alert users, through haptic feedback, when they approach a wall. This will not only make users aware of their location within the pool, but it will also prevent them from accidentally falling inside. The peace of mind provided by this feature will further allow users to focus their energy on improving their swimming technique through the use of the detailed metrics collected by the device.
While accessibility is something that should always be on a designer’s mind, it is the most important aspect of this product. Extensive research was done on the effects of various types of visual impairment in order to develop an interface that worked for the widest range of people. It was determined that a large screen, dark colored backgrounds, and high contrast imagery were all necessary factors to consider. Additionally, for those with near or complete blindness, every screen and button would also have dictation features. This means the device is also hands free.
DESIGN
Many variations were created before the final logo was decided on.
Rendering of what the Stroke wearable could look like if produced.
A simple wireframe meant to show a basic user flow.
The Stroke wearable shown in context.
FEASIBILITY
EXPANSION
The technology needed to make this device work in the real world either already exists or will be perfected in the coming years. Flexible OLED screens have been used in monitors, televisions, and smartphones for some time now, and water resistance is a standard feature of most portable electronics. The most difficult aspect would be the underwater sensor. While laser and sonic based devices exist that could accomplish this, they would need to be refined to ensure they are accurate to within a few inches while submerged.
It is important that a mobile app is created as a companion to the Stroke device. While workout data and presets could be handled and displayed on the device itself, ease of use would be greatly improved with the help of a smartphone. Apple devices, for example, have a multitude of accessibility features that many low sighted individuals are already familiar with and could easily be incorporated. In addition to more accurate pool sensors, there are many ways this product could be expanded.