GreatSchools Local

Earlier Rig Control Systems were engineered to perfection and capable of displaying complex controls and information. But it was too complex to use and required a lot of training to educate an operator. To motivate, and encourage old and new operators to work with these complex machines and avoid losing well-trained operators and billions of dollars, we designed a new rig control system for one of our most complicated rigs — Boomer.

SmartGauge is Fordʼs first LCD screen instrument cluster, built into their 2010 hybrid sedans. Our goal was to effectively modify the behavior of the driver to achieve the optimal fuel efficiency. And do this without distracting the driver by actually reducing visual demand. Working with the simple truth that hybrid enthusiasts want to get the most from their new cars, we proposed to Ford ways to help drivers understand how their behavior affects their fuel economy over time. We also used cognitive visual research in color shape and form to create a safer instrument cluster that was easier to read in peripheral vision. We delivered an experience that was more effective, safer and, most importantly, FUN. In the past, hybrid drivers have been disappointed with their actual mileage not meeting the advertised rating. When it comes to fuel economy, the secret is that how a car is driven matters as much as how a car is designed. For the first time, SmartGauge puts the information needed to drive efficiently behind the steering wheel. Re-envisioned hybrid-focused gauges help drivers better understand the rhythm of hybrid driving, and how small changes in driving style can result in big savings at the pump.

Data Cubed has developed a fully integrated electronic data capture platform and cross-platform app, designed using gaming mechanics and reward-driven behavior change to increase participation and improve retention for clinical trials. Data collection is fully automated, gamified, and engaging, using human centered principles and modern technology.

Little Signals, a series of interaction experiments, explores new behaviors for technology in our daily lives. The objects in the series signal for attention with different sensorial cues like a waft of air, a soft shadow, or an ambient sound. Additionally, their simple movements and controls bring them to life and make them responsive to changing surroundings and needs. Just as everyday items find simple ways to inform us – like the moving hands of a clock or the whistle of a kettle – this series shows how to stay up-to-date with digital information while maintaining moments of calm.

Studio H is a high school design/build curriculum for rural community benefit. Launched in Bertie County, North Carolina, the program now resides at Realm Charter School in Berkeley, California. By learning through a design sensibility and “dirt-under-your-fingernails” construction skills, we’re developing creativity, critical thinking, citizenship, and capital to give students the skills they need to succeed, while building the assets the community needs to survive. Given the opportunity to engage within a public education system, we believe the next generation will be the greatest asset and untapped resource in rural communities’ futures. Studio H is a different kind of classroom. We design, build, and transform.

Since 2002, the Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI) has engaged North Carolina’s citizens, bringing people together to turn ideas into action. Experts at facilitating face-to-face communication, they wanted to extend their impact using digital tools. They envisioned an exhibit designed to educate North Carolinians about four of the state’s core concerns­–Education, Environments, Economy, and Health–and inspire and enable them to collaborate on these issues. Working with IEI and our partners, we created the Emerging Issues Commons at North Carolina State University’s Hunt Library.

vTaiwan gathers diverging views on various internet-related regulations, then bridges the gap between online and offline opinions by consolidating a rough consensus on new law amendments.

Living in developed countries with superior infrastructures and seemingly unlimited access to the ubiquitous things, we tend to forget: resources are not infinite and need to be taken care of. Current smart home solutions for regulating and optimizing consumption give little to no information to the user on their behavior and routine. Although every device in our home is a data touchpoint, hardly any of this is reflected in our living space, where we most need it.

Small to medium sized shops account for 80% of the machining market. 70% of parts are programmed manually at the CNC machine — on an interface stuck in the 80’s. Designit partnered with Sandvik to redefine industrial machining workflows with Prism, the first computer-aided manufacturing app for iPad. It manages the entire cycle of machining and enables less experienced operators to create the programs that control CNC machines to drill, mill and carve out the parts we want to create.

Postpartum Depression (PPD) is the most common complication of childbirth – affecting 1 in 7 women in the US. Women are more likely to experience emotional difficulties following the birth of a baby than at any other time in their life. PPD also has a significant impact on the emotional, behavioral and intellectual development of the child. Recognizing its importance, the US task force recommends all mothers to be screened for PPD, yet less than half of health professionals routinely do so.