As part of my final year at University, at Lincoln we was given the oppurtunity to work with Jason Bradbury on a technologies project named 'BradLab'. Jason visited once a month to check on our progress, and the project was all about useing current or future technologies to help improve design or even in an unconvential way.
My take on this project involved current technologies. Hydrophobics and Multi-touch Digital tables were the main focus of my concept to help improve staff and user experience in the hospitality sector.
Brief Preview of Final Design
Initial Technology Choice - Hydrophobic Technology
Testing NeverWet
I first purchased some NeverWet hydrophobic spray which comes as 2 spray application, base coat and top coat. NeverWet was the most accessible hydrophobic application I could get hold of due to the price.
I found that the water bounced of the wood extremely well, and concluded that this could be used in an 'unconventional means' by creating a hydrophobic water fountain to feature in bar and restaurant environments.
The Next Step - Multi-touch Digital Tables
After another feedback session with Jason and Stewart I came to the conclusion that hydrophobics wasn't going to work the way I wanted to apply it. There are to many flaws in the technolgy, and I think this is why we haven't seen more of it anywhere!
So I moved onto looking on how to improve the hospitality sector using multi-touch digital tables. This was the next and first direction I took to create 'podkast'.
Concept name and Branding
Feedback of initial design from bartender at Walkabout
> 'Each dish can display health warnings - i.e allergies, spices, dairy' - About the digital menu in the table
> 'Plug in pad for the staff to take the orders' - About adding a transfer device to recieve the pods order
> 'Ability to have pre-saved messages in the pods i.e keep it down for loud customers/groups' - These to be displyed on 'cast' screen
> 'Colour co-ordination for available pods' - About the inbuilt lighting
> Closing time/last orders warnings' - These to be displyed on 'cast' screen
> 'Recommend accompanying side dishes or drinks' - About the digital menu in the table
Hydrophobic Hidden Message - Water Fountain Prototype
To begin this process I brought some bathroom tiles from B&Q not knowing how well the hydrophobic spray would react with the tiles. Above show the laser cut MDF pieces of the branding and mini games I created for the bar/restaurant area. I double sided tape them all down onto the tile to cover up the areas underneath. This was to prevent the spray going on these sections of the tiles. Unbelievably... the hydrophobic hidden message actually worked! (Video Below)
This made this idea fully feasible doing this test. I have found from testing though, that on a tile, more spray will have to be applied due to the slip finish tiles have as the hydrophobic spray had worn off quicker than I hoped.
The Finalised Concept - Pitch Animation
As part of this project I had to complete a 10 minute presentation towards the end of the year. To support this pitch to Jason Bradbury and the rest of the group, the best way for the 'Podkast' message to be put across was through a short 3 minute video and animation of the design.
Enjoy!
Thank you!
