April Seekumar

2020

Hard working, dedicated and loyal individual who is passionate about Industrial Design. My goal is to seek innovation through cultural influences from the past and present, interacting, listening and understanding what people seek in the consumer world in order to enhance our future with meaningful changes in design. I am willing to take risks and learn new abilities in order to make a difference.

437-991-5005

aprilseekumar@gmail.com Share This Page

Modular Recreational Fishing Platform

The traditional methods of water transportation used for recreational fishing have long been targeted towards expert anglers, singling out the selection of available products for the general public and fishing enthusiasts who rely on rental units. For the general public, these units accompany both environmental and human centered difficulties that affect one’s experience and overall enjoyment such as no protection from harsh weather conditions, uncomfortable seating and limited space which often leads to mild or fatal injuries. The goal of this thesis proposal is to challenge the notion of existing transportation units, through an in-depth ergonomic study and analysis of current watercraft requirements, in order to enhance the recreational fishing experience for the general public and help to mitigate aquatic damage through advanced technological means. User research including interviews and observational studies will give detail and justify the design evolution in order to eliminate the current challenges faced by anglers. Additionally, with reference to existing platforms and boats, a one to one model will be developed in order to understand ergonomics and human scale as well as to evaluate the feasibility of the design. Results from this analysis will attain a design solution that expands the design possibilities for public fishing spaces, improve aquatic ecosystems and most importantly, help to provide a more relaxed experience for anglers by lessoning strains and hassles faced with current benchmarked solutions.

Download Thesis PDF

Thesis Summary Video Award Submission

Meeting the Four Thesis Pillars for Design Excellence

3d render of floatex on the water at night

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

3d render of floatex on water during the day

Click to enlarge

Enhancement of Human Lifestyle

Floatex is designed to provide flexibility for fishing enthusiasts, the general public and families and promotes the sport of fishing for upcoming generations through its modern design elements.

Floatex incorporates seating, lighting, provided worm farms, storage, coverage from weather and autonomous capabilities, in order to sustain and ease of use for the overall unit.

Floatex as a solution and newly developed opportunity for the fishing industry, mitigates user fears and enhances the recreational fishing experience for users through modern initiatives by giving the opportunity to increase user space by connecting the platforms, as well as, promotes night-time fishing through the use of lights for safety and awareness.

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Human-Interaction Design

Floatex allows for a full-bodied interaction through its open design, allowing users to interact with the unit using its available features.

These features include the touch screen display for navigational purposes, worm farm for available bait when fishing, can mount or dismount the optional sunshade and can also carry out any movements that are practiced when fishing. Floatex gives users feelings of personal space while attaining connectivity with nature and one's desire to fish with friends or family.

Click to enlarge

Human Factors and Ergonomics

In comparison to benchmarked products made available for the general public and fishing enthusiasts, Floatex is a much more ergonomic solution and provides maximum comfort and space for individuals to carry out any necessary movements while fishing; this includes kneeling, standing, sitting and bending.

Overall, Floatex is designed using standard measurements that accommodate 5th percentile female individuals and 95th percentile male individuals, targeting various sizes and allowing for general user experience.

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Sustainability

Floatex incorporates aspects of sustainability within its design through its choice of materials and development in mechanisms.

Floatex allows for the utilization of autonomous technology, first developed by MIT researchers, which eliminates the need to use fuels and lessons water pollution, as well as, utilizes newly developed materials that are considerable for the end of life process of the platform.

Materials such as Cordura Eco - Fabric and High-Density Polyethylene are durable materials that can withstand harsh outdoor weather conditions and can be easily replaced and recycled if damage occurs to the platform.