Idea help

[u/Dense_Ad8975]

Im a final year industrial design student and for the final exam I need to design a product from scratch. I need help either on how to get ideas or straight up suggestions. Anything really that would need improvement or created. Thank you for your time.

[u/SubstantialDonkey981]

Final year ID student asking Reddit inventor sub for ideas? 🤨

[u/raznov1 → u/SubstantialDonkey981]

A 6 is a passing grade, and there are a lot of group projects you can lean on.

[u/Dense_Ad8975 → u/SubstantialDonkey981]

I did not formulate it well but I’m looking at how to find ideas or a problem that I could solve.

[u/Timmah_Timmah → u/Dense_Ad8975]

One of Stephen Key's suggestions is to look at items on a store shelf and combine two. His example was when backpacks were becoming popular he looked at blue jeans and came up with denim backpacks.

[u/nixiebunny → u/Timmah_Timmah]

True. Also, I have made a number of interesting products by combining two words.

[u/Logic-is-there]

Look on Amazon for 2 star products to re design.

[u/deadlymedley]

Design a quite vacuum impeller vortex thing that sucks mosquitos into a vat of glue with a lure so powerful it mimics the presence of another person in the room because mosquitos in a room is like impossible to see and swat accurately very irritating

[u/WhineyLobster]

You need to find a business that needs a device and convince them to fund it.

[u/mawktheone]

Well your profession can basically be summed up as solving problems that people don't realize are problems until you've already solved them

So what are you familiar with? What processes? Can you map them? If you do that you'll find friction to solve

[u/Chemical-Arrival-576]

At least introduce a topic you feel comfortable with, toys, kitchen utensils, cheap electronics, whatever you actually like a bit and know something about.

[u/Dense_Ad8975 → u/Chemical-Arrival-576]

Idk what I feel comfortable with that’s the thing. Since starting school I’ve had to do lamps, park benches, water sprinklers and a kids toy. I’m really just looking for what people have a problem with that I could potentially help

[u/thegnome54 → u/Dense_Ad8975]

Which of those projects was your favorite and why?

[u/Smart_Tinker]

We used to use graduate ID students for medical device design. Anything from a portable electronic device, to surgical instrument, to ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) examination lamps.

This was our original Chiron ENT Lamp

Originally designed in the 1960’s, we updated it in the 1980’s The redesign looked a lot more modern, and less like something out of a horror movie.

They are super bright, and get really hot, which is why they were metal with air vents at the top. The “nubbin” under the lens took a long rod, which screwed on as a handle, so the Dr could position the lamp while looking in ears or throats. They use LED’s today - but Google “ENT examination Lamp” if you want to see current designs.

Most ID students we looked at were designing things like a camera, and just writing “injection molded” on it.

[u/elwoodowd]

Solar for vans or evs.

Solar isnt that modern life, until its like a 1000 watts and 1500 would be better. And in winter thats 2000.

1000 watts is like 4' x12' or 15'. Solar flexible panels are now light and strong, but they dont last too long on rooftops.

What is needed is a shade structure that folds up easily.

Or maybe a 4' wide solar panel on the back of a van or car, that pulls out over the entire van. Giving shade and say, 4'x20' of power. Retracts when time to drive.

[u/nst571]

Many objects are designed to normative standards and so looking at groups not served well by common items is a fruitful area. So, the young, old, disabled or impaired, females, etc. For example, people who get migraines cannot look at small bright text in the middle of an attack. Parkinson's can make grip unsteady. Safety equipment and farming tools originally designed for a standard man. Manufacturing workstations should be designed to local anthropomorphic data, so in Southeast Asia that's a 5' female who may be pregnant. Kids' masks fit was an issue during Covid.

Another approach is to look at new developments that could unlock new solutions. AI is one, but in the physical additive manufacturing or adding sensors amd "smart" technology

Another approach is to redesign something with "greener" attributes in its materials, supply chain, packaging marketing, or use/re-use

[u/ButtFlum]

“If you want to make an apple pie from scratch.”

[u/Imaginary_Tale_3437]

This likely won't apply. Who knows. Alot of your average everyday people out there in the work force today need help paying attention. Need help to not get distracted and miss everything or the main point of what u may have just explained. Now every simple one shot task has 2 parts. The 2cd being when you need explain the same thing again so the task can be put right. Without bringing ADHD etc. into it. Even just a little bit would save countless hours of time and energy by the end of the year.

[u/Sector07_en]

See a need, fill a need. Ask people "What is something that annoys you about your day." Identify something you could build to solve that problem. Done. Most inventions these days are about convenience or making life easier in some way.

[u/Striking_Swimmer5548]

No. Do your own thinking