A Fabrication and Prototyping project for Healthcare. The Ohio State University. Department of Design. In collaboration with NBBJ.
Critics: Heike Goeller and Gabriel Esquivel.
Student Team: Sarah Bowie, Megan Casey and Abbey Melsheimer.
The idea behind the project was to produce a series of performative surfaces, first and second surfaces that can produce emotional effects as healing atmospheres.
The idea was to use the latest in information technology, reactive and security technology along with fabrication and material technology.
The collaboration with NBBJ helped us understand the present needs in healthcare in terms of patient’s care, caretaker operations and needs as well as an understanding for the lack of attention that exist in the industry’s production of not only equipment but healing environments in companies like Hillrom etc.
These performative and emotional surfaces will help the control of the patient’s vital signs, development, communication needs as well as their induction to a relaxation mood, conducive to wellness.
The first step was to present the study using rapid prototyping and the a vacuforming process for the larger prototypes. We will use our own molds from a variety of materials depending on the complexity of the geometry, coupled with the number of parts the mold is expected to produce. The molds will be CNC-Machined from a range of materials including MDF, Tooling Foams or Aluminum. We will employ a cut-sheet method for vacuforming with a blank that will measure up to 4’ x 4’. Using SLA resin and different plastics. In order to produce differnt atmospheres we will analyze the affect produce by different colors, light effects and sound.
