Spike Away - How to Protect Your Personal Space On The Subway
An idea that was conceived as an undergraduate during a short 1.5 day "Chindogu" workshop at the National University of Singapore, held by German furniture designer Werner Aisslinger. "Chindogu" is the Japanese art of designing ingenious gadgets to solve one mundane, everyday problem.
A quick brainstorming leads to a everyday situation. Trains are usually crowded during peak hours. Everybody will push each other to try and get onto the train. How can I protect my personal space?
The idea was then conceived. "What if I wear a vest that is full of spikes?"
Attendees are given half a day to source for materials and hack together a prototype that represent the idea. The vest is made of strips of spiky, flexible plastic material found in the gardening section of a handy store. The strips are looped together with cable ties. Fittingly, it was normally used to keep birds and cats away from plants.
Materials: spiky plastic strips & cable ties
Looping the strips together with cable ties
This makes up half of the spiky vest
Featured in various social mediums:
FastCompany | Original article | http://www.fastcoexist.com/3022097/how-to-protect-your-personal-space-on-the-subway-spikes
Daily Mail UK | http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2517816/Young-designer-solves-subway-shoving-Spike-Away-vest.html
Forbes | http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2014/07/29/forget-glass-here-are-wearables-that-protect-your-privacy/
The Straits Times Singapore | Published on 6 December 2013
The Daily Bread | http://odb.org/2016/03/14/my-personal-space/
