Daniel Ward-Thomas
Product Design
Hi, I’m Dan. I am an innovative, imaginative, and well-rounded designer who enjoys developing new products from ideation through to producing the final artefact. I enjoy being pushed outside my comfort zone and presented with new challenges to overcome, as this is where I learn new skills most effectively.
Final year project
Versorium - A window integrated with biophilic design to encourage people to reconnect with nature in an urban environment
Versorium
The last 100 years have seen a huge change in the global structure of the human population, with the majority of people now living in urban rather than rural environments. An assumed consequence is that people will have fewer experiences of nature, and this could have important consequences given the myriad health benefits that they can gain from such experiences. To combat this Versorium is a window integrated with biophilic design to encourage people to reconnect with nature in an increasingly urbanising world.
Versorium in Action
Often people are living with no access to a garden and limited living space. This window helps bring nature into your home, without the downfalls of indoor growing. The unique mechanism allows for planters attached to the inner window frame to be moved from inside to outside easily with the ability to rotate a full 360°, while still functioning as a normal window. For example, herbs could be kept outside where there is sun and rain and be brought inside and harvested or permanently kept inside to protect them from harsh conditions.
Versorium Prototype
Building a full-scale working model of the window was important to allow for accurate and insightful user testing. My workshop skills were utilised to the full to complete this large and mechanically complex prototype within the time frame, however, I thoroughly enjoyed the process. I believe the ability to be hands-on, creative and determined are some of my biggest strengths.
Versorium With Plants
A rewarding finishing touch after building the functional prototype was adding the final touch… Plants.
Salacia
Over the last century, 92% of our seagrass meadows have been lost in the UK and continue declining globally at a rapid 7% each year. Our oceans heavily rely on seagrass for its incredible capabilities which are crucial in the ongoing fight against climate change. Salacia aims to turn this around.
About Salacia
Salacia is an autonomous seagrass collection drone designed to blend into the natural environment. It uses its 360° camera, artificial intelligence, and GPS to scan the seabed for seagrass. It then carefully collects seagrass seeds, a previously time-consuming process only possible by hand by experienced divers. It uses its net and claw to harvest day and night, returning its seeds to land to be sorted into grow bags and planted back in the ocean. Its mission is to Counteracting climate change and boost biodiversity, one seed at a time.
Automated AeroPress
A fully functional automated coffee machine which used electrical and mechanical operations combined with an AeroPress to produce a cup of coffee. Key features included hand gesture coffee type selection, pump to automatically add water, automatic stirrer, and presser. The project involved making use of our knowledge in mechanical systems, C programming and embedded systems.
Daniel Ward-Thomas
Final year project
Versorium - A window integrated with biophilic design to encourage people to reconnect with nature in an urban environment
Awards
Diploma in Professional Studies
Work Experience
Over my 12-month industry placement year, I spent half my time in Amsterdam, working for the art organisation Studio Stallinga. Here I notably learned practical workshop skills and proficiency in complex electronics. I enjoyed working hands-on with multimedia installations, helping bring the artist's vision to life.
The other half of my year in the industry was spent in Stockholm, working for the strength training equipment company Exxentric. At Exxentric I learned how to CAD detailed products for mass manufacture, create realistic renders and animations for their website and overcome complex mechanical problems with creative solutions when prototyping new products. This placement really helped me develop my professional skills and advance my industry knowledge.
A weeks work experience for the automotive design company Gordon Murray Design, getting an insight into how the design studio operates on a daily basis, learning new technological breakthroughs in engineering and being set inspiring and stimulating design tasks reviewed by legends withing the automotive industry.