2023 Award Winner!
Anthony Grguric
Research. Design. Refine. I like to believe that I am driven to create practical, profitable & logical solutions that anticipate, engage, and delight users. This thesis project was no exception. I've spent over a decade aspiring to become an industrial designer and I think the key to that door is closer than ever. A lot of the time I spend in deep thought on how I could create something that can change lives and perhaps even save them. I listen and scrutinized the feedback to make sure I'm not just following blindly, but in fact, I am putting my best foot forward to ensure my designs bring light, happiness, and joy to the consumers' life. There is never the option to allow a design's abilities to underperform alongside sacrificing feasibility, attractiveness, and the practicality that reality demands. Designs must be thoroughly thought out and hold a certain beauty to them, the marrying of art and engineering, what an industrial designer is.
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
There is no other product on the market like AERUS and the features it offers.
Following years with higher-than-normal avalanche incidents, this design greatly improves the ability of the wearer to withstand an avalanche and persist through any injuries that they may receive. This revolutionary concept provides all health necessities, search and rescue tools, and survival gear for the extreme winter weather.
Human-Interaction & User-Centric Design
AERUS was designed to interact with the entire human body.
Pertaining to specifics, the airbag system supports the chest, arms, and head to elevate the body above an avalanche. The rail system interacts with the harness system that uses the shoulders and waist to support the avalanche survival bag.
Ergonomics & Human Factors Design
People of all shapes and sizes take to nature in the winter to enjoy excursion activities.
AERUS is partially clothing, and with this, a multitude of alternate sizes are needed to accommodate different users. However, the avalanche survival bag is a standard size as well as the tools that accompany it. With the appropriate fitting jacket and harness, AERUS is ergonomically comfortable for all anatomic measurements.
Sustainability & Social Responsibility
AERUS achieves this pillar the best as its key aspect is being made from plant-based fabrics, recycled fabrics, ethically sourced and manufactured textiles, and is designed with durability and longevity in mind.
The materials chosen for manufacturing AERUS are oeko-tex certified, b corp certified or certified by cradle-to-cradle. The manufacturing process would entail rigorous testing to ensure durability and the supply of extra parts would ensure longevity.
AERUS - Avalanche Survival Unit
Project Summary
AERUS is a collection of post-avalanche survival items and clothing to endure the elements until search and rescue personnel can arrive. Considerations from the standpoint of multiple winter excursion activities were reviewed and the most innovative solutions have been developed to ensure that everyone who has AERUS to protect them, will in fact be protected and delivered back home safe and sound if the worst were to happen. In an avalanche scenario, time is the only factor that matters, when the chance of making it out alive decreases with every minute encapsulated below the dense surface. Unfortunately, the nightmare doesn't end after being dug out in time where if the victim sustained any injuries or has started developing symptoms of hypothermia, then a new count-down clock has started, and help, is hours away.
Thesis Summary Motion Presentation
AERUS is an avalanche survival unit equipped with a multitude of products to endure a post-avalanche scenario.
Thesis Visual Presentation
Click the image to enlarge.
Thesis Development Process
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3D Design Development & Modeling
CAD Modeling Video
A small glimpse into the software used to render AERUS to life and give it that hint of realism.
Physical Model Video
A depiction of the final stretch where AERUS is shown off in its final state.
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