2023 Award Winner!
Alec Freda
I want to help make the world a better place by working with a small team, making a big difference. I’m a thoughtful and driven team player with a consistently positive attitude and a desire to grow within a collaborative, inspiring teamwork environment. I have years of experience in creative design as a graphic designer and professional photographer.
I’m interested in working with companies to make more human-centric, ecological and sustainable products that have as little of a footprint on the planet as possible. My decade of experience volunteering at High Park Nature Centre in Toronto helped me discover a unique perspective on the world and even in my own backyard, from the micro-ecosystems in the pond to the wildlife flying above, and how powerful the effect of a strong team can be. Being involved with environment conservation for so long, it has helped shape me into the person I am and who I strive to be. I wish to continue these values and practices in the design field to improve how we make products and how we live with the world.
My instructors at Humber College have helped shape my passion for problem-solving and creative thinking into industry-level skills for product development and helping users create powerful connections with products.
I'd be more than happy to talk about how I can do that with you. I hope you enjoy my thesis project.
The Four Essential Pillars for Design Excellence
The four essential pillars encompass human-centric design approach and the understanding of full-bodied, three dimensional physical interaction of user, product and environment. The projects generate innovative solutions using research-driven, evidence-based designs which focus on the user experience.
Enhancement of Human Lifestyle
Users in cleanups need a solution that provides protection from hazardous materials, proper ergonomic work interaction, and assistance in traversing challenging landscapes to ensure their safety and well-being.
Park Clean enables taking inspiration by the mechanics of a chameleon tongue, the motorized telescopic rod extends up to three feet, equivalent to an additional arm length for a 6ft tall man providing great reach and accuracy in the delicate environment.
Human-Interaction & User-Centric Design
Park Clean is a public product with the user and environment at heart. All visitors of the park now have the opportunity to help keep the natural space tidy and safe for all life in the park.
Park Clean makes cleaning up litter in nature a safe and enjoyable experience with rewards for the participants. Every visitor to the park can be a user of the product system. Continued maintenance of the shared natural space will help mitigate the issue of litter before it becomes a problem.
Ergonomics & Human Factors Design
The Concho power belt features clip-on charging battery brackets which can be positioned at the front, side and rear. Pressing a button can tighten or loosen it for a comfortable fit.
A sliding cover helps protect the user from wet items. The telescopic rod moves and rotates into adjustable positions for superior control with heavier items like filled bottles.
The rounded form factor with rectilinear grip offers optimal center of mass for accurate and controllable operation.
Sustainability & Social Responsibility
Featuring all main body materials constructed of cast aluminum from recycled cans (Al 3004) and recycled water bottles (rPET) - like those collected as litter - all parts are highly durable and may be recycled again for multiple lifetimes of products.
As cleanups are recognized by the UN as an efficient way of waste reduction in natural and public spaces, Park Clean directly influences and affects the social responsibility groups responsible for tending to the environment.
Park Clean makes waste management accessible, automatically sorts and compacts waste materials, and eases the recycling process and maintenance.
Park Clean
Project Summary
Every piece of trash that is recycled or deposited in a landfill means there is one less dangerous item for animals to swallow and helps restore these creatures’ habitats. There are risks in the process, like navigating the uncertain landscapes and potentially hazardous items. Hundreds of cleanups have been registered, but risks remain.
Park Clean is a publicly accessible product system that makes cleanups a safe and enjoyable experience. Park Clean is a 3-part portable system for waste collection and management. Ringo is a handheld device that picks up items, Mimo is a bag to help collect these items, and Concho is a wearable power belt that charges Ringo and Mimo. A dock stores and cleans the devices and is a waste management station. The system encourages collaboration among users with its elements of gamification. Continued maintenance of our shared natural spaces will help keep trash under control while providing users with a rewarding social activity.
Thesis Summary Motion Presentation
Park Clean is a suite of products for trash collection and management in public parks.
Thesis Visual Presentation
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Thesis Development Process
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