KwanMyung Kim

Wearable-object-based interaction for a mobile audio device

In this paper, we explore the possibilities of providing miniaturized audio players with gesture control capabilities that are based on wearable objects. We selected thirteen wearable objects and used them as interaction surfaces. We used user-centered design methods to collect interaction gestures suited for play, stop, volume up, volume down, previous song, and next song functions. The characteristics and possibility of these interaction gestures are also discussed.

An Ergonomic Based Postural Control and Balance Body Exercise Design for Young Martial Art Trainees

Posture correction exercise on a toes-up inclined sloped surface usually causes fatigue and possible injuries among young martial art trainees. They often find their feet slipping or dropping on a 15–20° sloped angle that prevents their exercise practice. This study presents ergonomic assessments of a toes-up inclined platform by adding three ergonomic features and measures the exhaustion and discomfort during posture correction and balance body exercise practice. Twenty-three young trainees were asked to perform posture correction exercise with 15 steps martial art training program. The findings showed a significant effect of the proposed ergonomic features on the toes-up inclined sloped platform that could induce exercise practice and maintain comfortable exercise associated with stability, comfort, and easiness. Although the finding of muscle relaxation was insignificant and the mean score was higher at all experimental conditions, indicating muscle stretching or muscle activation. This study recommend the use of inclined sloped platform with curved shape and foot strip ergonomic features that can increase comfort and decrease fatigue and potential injuries caused by slipping or dropping during posture correction exercise.

The Development of Urban Pilotless Personal Aerial Vehicle and Significant Considerations as a Design Project

Generally, the development of transportation has been accompanied by improvements in technology. Recent technological advancements are focusing on the development of autonomous driving and personal aerial vehicle, and based on this point Urban Pilotless Personal Aerial Vehicle project was initiated. This paper describes the progress of the project and its outcomes, and discusses a number of factors that need to be considered as the project progresses. These considerations include issues that arise as the project progresses, or that are necessary to drive the project.

Integrated Design Process: A Case of Recliner Design

This paper presents a design approach that uses internal functional elements as external form elements through the development of a recliner. This approach has to take more into consideration than conventional methods in the integrated design process, which allows for designing something that offers unique and distinguished implications as the principle of primary function that should be expressed in the form. This integrated approach is expected to serve as a guideline in making a new attempt to design something that removes the boundary between internal design and external design. This should be done by actively integrating the internal function component design and the external design in a product.

The Design of Personal Protective Garments for Workplace: An Ergonomic Radiation Protection Design Practice

Personal protective garments are commonly used to protect workers from direct and secondary radiation in radiological workplaces. Traditionally, these garments are manufactured using heavy shielding chemical materials, such as lead or lead composite mixed with binders and additives to make lead loaded vinyl sheets. The materials used in such garments are toxic, subject to rapid decline, and cause lead poisoning and heat gain that create moisture inside the garments. These garments are heavy in weight, causing a higher risk of musculoskeletal injuries and workers’ fatigue and discomfort, which results in low productivity due to ergonomic detriment. We designed an ergonomic personal protective garment with a lightweight flexible structure and optimal shielding performance after a thorough examination of the existing safety in the workplace, worker’s tasks and exposure to radiation, and weight and type of the materials used in the existing garments. Our study suggests that a lightweight and flexible design factor that could improve workers physical activities and body movement by considering ergonomic design could increase productivity in radiological workplaces.

Transformable Camping Cart Design for a Jack Company

For fuel efficiency and long-distance driving, it is important to reduce vehicle weight. This pushes car manufacturers to replace extra weighted components, such as spare tires and jacks, with light and disposable ones. However, this trend is a crisis for companies manufacturing extra components for cars. It is crucial for car manufacturing companies to find new business opportunities based on their existing technologies. This paper shows how design can contribute to new business development for a company facing such a crisis. To this end, we developed a new item for a jack manufacturer, focusing on applying the manufacturer’s proprietary technology. In the design research stage, we analyzed social trends and the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the manufacturer and its technologies. As such, we designed a deformable camping cart using the jack’s mechanism to minimize the obstacles and discomfort that campers faced during use of the camping cart. Our study suggests that design offers the capability to produce new products and the potential to create new markets for B2B suppliers with their own production technology. In addition, there is a higher possibility of design concept realization when a design project starts with existing technology than when it relies mainly on market and user research. We hope this study provides insights into new product development through a design process for B2B suppliers.