It is degree projects season and this year’s MA IxD graduating students are working on amazing projects. Here is a glimpse of what they are working on. Check their blogs and websites for further information.
Erik Rydell
How might we make people and their families more aware of the importance organ donation before it is too late?
My ambition with this project is to inform the public about the importance of organ donors and offer them the possibility to sign up in a accessible way.
Collaboration: Bengt-Ã…ke Henriksson, Regional Donation Manager at Sahlgrenska University Hospital.
Links: organ-donation-master-thesis.blogspot.com – erikrydell.com – rydell.erik@gmail.com
Ine Marie Vassøy
Adolescence, sex and intimacy
The project aim is to design services that educate adolescence about sex and intimacy, and encourage to share experiences. I am going to explore how adolescents can share experiences by using technology.
Collaboration: This project is in collaboration with SUSS, a norwegian non-profit organization to educate adolescence about sex.
Links: inevassoy.tumblr.com – cargocollective.com/intimacy – inevassoey@gmail.com
Nirvana Soltani
Multi-Sensory Food Design
You open the fridge and you have an apple, an onion and some tortilla wrap.If you are experimental you might try an apple onion wrap, but the chances are you order pizza! It can be discouraging, especially for someone new to cooking, to spend the time, money, and energy trying something new only to have a disappointing outcome. HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT GOES TOGETHER?
The mission for this project is to encourage people with all sorts of personal competences to use their perceptual skills, to envision their own personal flavor palate. Resulting in a direct dialogue between human and food.
Collaboration: Interactive Institute РUme̴, www.tii.se/groups/umea
Links: foodsenses.tumblr.com – www.nirvanasoltani.com – nirvana.so@gmail.com
Brian Oko
Something, Something e-waste (to be refined)
Six years ago, when I threw away my second mobile phone,I found myself thinking, “I wish I was McGyver, he would know what to do out of this old cellphone”. Most of the e-waste that we produce is sent to 3rd world countries and are dismantled rudimentarily causing health and environment problems. My degree project focuses on the exploration of opportunities for the e-waste to be re-used or configured differently, in order to make artifacts that could be beneficial or useful.
Collaboration: Electrolux and Fab Labs Barcelona
Links: www.hey-oko.tumblr.com – www.hey-oko.com – brianoko@gmail.com
Camila Lima
Accessibility for Illiterates in the Current Brazilian Society
“Accessibility for Illiterates in the Current Society†is the subject of my Degree Project. Its focus is to approximate the illiterates to the society, proposing bigger integration and accessibility within the Brazilian bank services through the use of mobile phones. Using the mobile phone as a medium, benefiting from its technology and its easy access in developing countries, like Brazil and the bank as a facilitator concerning the economical life of any citizen.Together with that, I’m willing to use this project to alert the society itself about some issues regarding the social life of an illiterate – it’s difficulties and fears towards simple behaviors which are part of any citizen.
Collaboration: Itaú Unibanco, itau.com
Links: camila.melo@gmail.com
Yangchen Zhang
Project D* (Community and Memory)
In this project, I am exploring the possibilities of an innovative service/device that would allow people to communicate with the past and future. By collecting stories from the past I hope to bring a new perspective on how people view and live their lives and interact with their communities in the digital age.
Collaboration: Norsjö Municipality
Links: degreekickoff.tumblr.com – zhangyangchen.com – zhangyangchen@gmail.com
Jennifer Sarich-Harvey
Project Genetica
What if you knew your self from the inside out? Would knowing your DNA change the way you live your life?
We currently live in a time where we have the ability to unlock elements of our future by something as simple as spitting in a tube. This project explores the personal, emotional, familial, social and health experiences surrounding direct-to-consumer genetic testing and strives to understand what DNA analysis means for our present and future-selves.
Collaboration: Gian Pangaro, IDEO Boston
Links: projectgenetica.wordpress.com – jensarich.harvey@gmail.com
Soramist Chintanamanus
The sync
Four years in UID has made me appreciate design like never before. During these years I have learned that design is not only about creating attractive objects, but actually mostly about solving problems. In this project I’m trying to build a community for social innovation in Thailand, with a focus of integrating design (as a process) to the core culture of this community. Because I want people to understand more about design and appreciate it as the way it’s supposed to be as I believe it will help them to succeed in whatever they’re doing… in a more sustainable manner.
Links: project blog – sorchill.com
