SEANBELL2015 PORTFOLIO

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ABOUT

My name is Sean Bell, I am a graduate of the Industrial Design program at Virginia Tech. I see design as a means for people to make an impact in others’ lives by creating meaningful, useful, and worthwhile products. Design reflects in it the personality of the user, and as such can be seen as an extension of oneself. From medical equipment to sporting goods, we allow design to play an influential role every single day, by not only creating effective solutions to problems, but by appealing to the senses through tactile and visual excellence.

issuu.com/seanb91 sbell008@gmail.com 703.283.9673

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///SKETCHING

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Skateboarding pads, though protective, are not considered stylish by many skaters. As a result, they rarely get used, leading to many otherwise preventable injuries. By making protective gear more appealing, skateboard enthusiasts are more inclined to use them.

GAUNTLET

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ON AVERAGE...

OF THIS NUMBER...

About 1 in 10 teens in the U.S. own a skateboard

of reported injuries were in teens younger than 15.

claimed to NOT be wearing any protective gear.

60% 80%

USER GROUP

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Humerus

Concussions

Radius

Fingers

Tibia/Fibula

Ankles/Feet

Upon researching some of the most common injuries, skateboarder’s arms seemed to be the most afflicted area. The reason for so many injuries to wrists and hands was due to improper falling techniques that led to painful injuries.

6%

6%

3%

8%

27%

13%

FOCUS AREAS

///NECESSARY PROTECTION

In order to effectively protect your body, you must defend both the hands, which often are used to break falls, as well as the arms.

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Lightweight DesignThis will allow riders to feel as though they aren’t even wearing pads while still knowing they’re protected.

Sweat ResistantMaking the pads from weatherproof materials means greater durability and longer product life.

Rebounding PropertiesCreating natural bounce in the padding will allow for quicker recovery times after falling.

FEATURES

///IDEATION ///

/// RENDERING

///MATERIALS

Polyurethane Outer

Low Density Cushion

Flexible Skid Plate

SoloFlex Sleeve

Mesh AccentsAllows for breathability

For superior movement

Absorbs shock from falls

With LiveFlex ribbing

Ensures hand safety & comfort

/// LIVEFLEX DESIGN

By segmenting the pads along the arm, skaters are more evenly protected. Gauntlet allows for full-arm and hand protection without stifling skaters into what is currently available.

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With Gauntlet’s LiveFlex padding system, a series of ribbing allows the padding to more closely conform to the body. This ensures the most complete protection under any circumstances.

LIVEFLEX DESIGN

/// PROTOTYPE

Upon finalization of the design, prototyping was the next logical step in order to make Gauntlet a reality. Using foam to model the padding, as well as real mesh and nylon for the sleeve, allowed the creation of a human scale model.

///PROTOTYPE

GAUNTLET ///

/// WRECKD SPECS

For many, sports are an important part of life. It helps us to stay active, teaches teamwork, and builds friendships. For some players though, there is a need for sports glasses in order to see clearly. Corrective vision options are rarely considered to be cool or athletic, and often times are the butt of jokes.

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By making sports glasses with a flexible middle, there is very little risk of breakage. WreckD Specs also makes use of carbon fiber as the frame material for weight reduction in addition to its strength properties.

THE IDEA

///FEATURES

Brushed Aluminum AccentWreckD Logo

Carbon Fiber FrameLightweight Durability

Transitional Shaded LensAdapts to all lighting conditions

Flexible Bridge Rubberized with Carbon Fiber

/// WRECKD SPECS

/// LEVIO

As people age, their joints, muscles, and bones begin to weaken, making even the simplest of tasks, like sitting, difficult. By creating a chair that allows for easy entry and exit, the elderly regain some of their independence.

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/// SKETCHING///

///HOW IT WORKS

The Seat Assist is a product engineered to ease the user into their seat in a more gentle manner. It uses a pneumatic cylinder to create pressure as a person sits down, offering a slower entry into the seat.

/// LEVIO

Santoprene handles for tac t i le feedback

Pneumatic c y l inder system

Rubber stoppers to prevent accidental s l id ing

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When it comes to pet hygiene, we often over look what gets used most by our beloved furry friends; their paws. By creating a more appealing scent for animal’s paws, pet owners can now feel even closer with their animals.

STINKY PAWS

/// SKETCHING

///RENDERINGS

PROTEC TIVE CASING

REMOVABLE FOAM PADDING

PERFORATIONS FOR GEL FLOW

ERGONOMIC DESIGN

/// LABELING

///STINKY PAWS