So I was sitting at Tresidder before lunch after coming back from a class. I wanted a break from all the walking and wandering and decided to sit on one of the tables with the umbrella on top. I began observing the visitors closely and latched on to some aspects using the look and see method.
- Bicycle helmets
Surprisingly, there are no bicycle stands which I could observe at Stanford in the few days i have been here. So people just parked their bikes wherever they found space, which is problematic because it led to some bikes falling down and just creating difficulty for people who wanted to take their bike out of the mess. Stands work!
While going into more detail I noticed people generally carry their helmets with them after locking their bikes with the standard bicycle lock. The helmets then created all sorts of trouble for people who wanted to eat; they kept them on the table first, then when they got their food, they had to keep them somewhere along with their bags and it was just an added burden. I think the storage of bike helmets is a problem. You can’t just tie them to the bike unless there is some kind of locking mechanism to it.
Project Idea: Incorporate locking mechanism and use the helmet straps as a lock for the bike.
- Cutlery
I chose to get a rice bowl for lunch but the folks at Tresidder ran out of plastic bowls for a brief period so I got my rice in a disposable plate. In India, we generally eat using our hands which serve as excellent tools to grab food without any other supporting cutlery. It’s not that I’m not used to eating with a fork, spoon and knife but while eating a dish such as rice or soup, to get the last few morsels out of the bowl or plate is always a problem for me. I’m thinking of designing a spoon with a wedge/shovel type design that helps me to get the last few morsels out of the plate without having to use my other hand or another spoon/fork/knife.