BEE
Context: University of Washington, Spring 2019
Team: Kit Chen, Adam Ahmed, Me
Team: Kit Chen, Adam Ahmed, Me
Description
The Bike Enhancing Experience is a small drone that helps you work
on your bike through visual and verbal communication. BEE starts
by scanning and diagnosing your bike. Then it communicates how to
fix the problem through visual projections or verbal directions. BEE
monitors your process and gives immediate feedback when a step is
done incorrectly. It acts as a learning tool by adjusting to your increasing
skill level. This product is for regular bikers who want to gain knowledge
about bike mechanics.
on your bike through visual and verbal communication. BEE starts
by scanning and diagnosing your bike. Then it communicates how to
fix the problem through visual projections or verbal directions. BEE
monitors your process and gives immediate feedback when a step is
done incorrectly. It acts as a learning tool by adjusting to your increasing
skill level. This product is for regular bikers who want to gain knowledge
about bike mechanics.
Process
I worked with a team of three to come up with the idea of BEE. There
is no physical prototype but there is a visual mock-up. We shot all the
footage and edited the short film ourselves. Animations of the drone
were done with blender and later added to the video with Adobe Premiere.
is no physical prototype but there is a visual mock-up. We shot all the
footage and edited the short film ourselves. Animations of the drone
were done with blender and later added to the video with Adobe Premiere.
My Part
The idea was taken from my original task analysis. I was in charge of
animating and rendering the drone animation. My partners designed
the drone and edited the video along with the projection animation.
I was also responsible for creating both storyboards.
animating and rendering the drone animation. My partners designed
the drone and edited the video along with the projection animation.
I was also responsible for creating both storyboards.
The Problem
Task Analysis
The project started with the question of how to oil your bike chain. We
distinguished three main points of decision making that created confusion
in oiling your chain: knowing when to clean your chain, choosing the right
type of oil, and applying the correct amount of oil. Through this analysis we
established our how might we statement.
distinguished three main points of decision making that created confusion
in oiling your chain: knowing when to clean your chain, choosing the right
type of oil, and applying the correct amount of oil. Through this analysis we
established our how might we statement.
How might we create a linear experience for cleaning
a bike chain that removes user uncertainties?
a bike chain that removes user uncertainties?
Ideation
Disposable Oil Wipes
- Contains chain cleaner and chain oil on opposite sides of the wipe.
- Fixes one problem and is not environmentally friendly.
Digital Bike Rack
- Includes a giant digital interface that instructs the maintenance and
repair of your bike.
repair of your bike.
- Too big to install so we moved towards a non-digital approach.
Bike Assist Glasses
- Uses augmented reality to walk you through the same steps in a
more interactive manner.
more interactive manner.
- We decided to continue our thinking for something more human interactive.
Disposable Oil Wipes
Digital Bike Rack
Bike Assist Glasses
The Solution
A drone
After careful thinking about making our product more interactive we turned
to artificial intelligence. We liked the idea of a small drone because it could
move around to small spaces in order to inspect the bike. It also gave the
feel of having a buddy rather than plain instructions. It was named the
Bike Enhancing Experience (BEE) because of the engaging environment it
can create.
to artificial intelligence. We liked the idea of a small drone because it could
move around to small spaces in order to inspect the bike. It also gave the
feel of having a buddy rather than plain instructions. It was named the
Bike Enhancing Experience (BEE) because of the engaging environment it
can create.
Three key point of BEE
- Reduces cognitive process by aiding the user in real time.
- Creates a learning process by slowly giving more advanced tasks on a
personal level.
personal level.
- Creates a more interactive experience and a more personal connection
with the technology.
with the technology.
Storytelling
Situational Storyboard
This storyboard shows the foundation of what problem we wanted to fix.
It was created for our original idea of assisting AR glasses. Although we
changed the system for assistance, the idea of creating a bike learning
experience stayed the same.
It was created for our original idea of assisting AR glasses. Although we
changed the system for assistance, the idea of creating a bike learning
experience stayed the same.
Functional Storyboard
Final storyboard created after refining the the drone.
Tells a story of how the drone interacts with people.
Tells a story of how the drone interacts with people.
