I enjoy combining skills from different fields to supplement my design practice.
Final year project
Methods to investigate athlete cooling
Cooling products that enable mobility and sweating
For my final year project, I explored different methods to cool athletes to avoid heat illnesses and increase performance. Cooling vests are often the most effective method of pre-cooling when in unfamiliar venues with uncertain access to facilities, but can reduce mobility and hinder evaporative cooling from sweat. My system of products addresses these issues, allowing amateur athletes to access cooling during training.
A system of products
Two wearables provide cooling through removable PCM packs, which can be swapped out once warm to extend the duration of cooling. An insulated bag stores the chilled packs and allows transportation of the system of products to-and-from the training grounds.
Functional prototypes
User comfort and interactions were evaluated using functional prototypes. These provided an appropriate level of simulation to gather user insights while balancing manufacturing time and costs.
Combining electronics and mechanics
A combination of embedded systems design and mechanics, this was a group project to automatise some of the processes of making coffee using AeroPress. This machine uses the inverted AeroPress method, and mixes invert and plunge on its own.
Gesture and voice control
The machine can be voice-activated, referencing saved user preferences to make a tailored cup of coffee or be controlled using gestures. The gesture control uses an IR proximity sensor to detect the user’s hand. To reduce the torque required of the motors, the inversion of the AeroPress is partially gravity controlled.
A distributed library
Trove is a library distributed across community centres and cafés. Users search the catalogue and add books to the collection using an app. The aim is to make books more accessible and encourage the use of community spaces.
Research through advertisements
To gauge user interest and confirm our value proposition, we measured responses to Facebook advertising, particularly the click-through rate on our website.
Eleanor Holroyd
Final year project
Methods to investigate athlete cooling
Awards
I am a Certified Solidworks Professional in Mechanical Design, having completed the CSWP exam provided by Dassault Systèmes.
Work Experience
I spent my year in the industry with Digital Influx, an EdTech company creating course materials to facilitate UX education in schools. Whilst I was there, I led a team to design a new course product, learning team and project management skills. This role involved creating project schedules, delegating tasks, and communicating with internal stakeholders. Working at Digital Influx also gave me the opportunity to be a part of the recruitment process, evaluating candidates for skills needed on my team. I enjoyed seeing the broader scope of a project beyond the practical design work.