Ronak Vairamohan
Product Designer
purified water from air
User Research
Industrial Design
Human Machine Interaction
Brand Design
I designed and constructed a dehumidifier that not only reduced humidity but also provided potable water, aiming to solve the issue of water scarcity around the globe. Sketching, prototyping using styrofoam models and tests with users helped me to arrive at the final product.
The design of the dehumidifier borrows inspiration from 'jali' patterns in ancient Indian palaces that were used to minimize the sun and rain, as well as provide cooling through passive ventilation.
This was my thesis project at SCAD
Ground water is depleting at a rate faster than we can imagine and it takes around 1400 years to restore the water we use. 2.2 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water on a daily basis. This amounts to 1/3rd of the earths population residing in urban cities
To build a comprehensive understanding of potable water generation and distribution in urban environments, I conducted a literature review spanning four books and five research papers. This research, combined with observations of water distribution plants, urban households, and user interactions, revealed the following insights:
- The Earth's water quantity remains unchanged over millions of years, yet accessibility is a growing challenge
- Air Water Generation systems retract moisture from air which need only 20% surface humidity
- The solution should lay key focus on reducing the cost of filtration and delivery of potable water by visualizing water to be generated at the point of delivery and by also being accepted by the ecosystem
Building on these observations, I designed and deployed a survey targeting urban households to delve deeper into their interactions with and consumption of potable water. With over 300 diverse responses, the survey uncovered user insights and highlighted the following patterns in behavior and usage:
- Consumers do not trust the water supply from the government
- Water filtration is time consuming and a costly weekly chore
- Users have multiple containers around the house to filter and drink water from
Using a cluster map generated from survey feedback, I identified three key user profiles representing the majority of urban household users. These personas provided valuable insights, helping to narrow the target audience and shape the product's design direction
She is a B.Com graduate filled with energy and dreams about her future. She likes tracking her water intake to manage her fitness goals
She does not trust the water source provided to her in public because she cannot see its origin. She is a positive influenced on decisions taken by her friends and her father
He is a service analyst at an IT firm and is highly goal oriented. He is frustrated by falling sick drinking unregulated water at home
He desires for an appliance that appeals to his modern aesthetics and brings surety in his daily consumption of water
She is a housewife who runs her own business and also looks after the health of the family. She monitors safe water consumption of the family
She is an advocate but tough to influence. Indian heritage and cultural influences inspire her
These images provided cultural inspiration for the form and materials, drawing influence from the 'Hawa Mahal' monument. Known as the palace of winds, its design helped shape distinctive patterns and elements that would resonate with users
From initial sketches, I created a standalone prototype using styrofoam to bring the concept to life. The design incorporated four takeaway containers and a multi-directional filling system for potable water. Testing this prototype highlighted key accessibility challenges, guiding further iterations to improve the unit
Limited space for filling large bottles was identified
Takeaway container unit design found to be ergonomic
Unit height ensured accessibility for a diverse range of users
Insights revealed a unidirectional approach to filling individual containers, prompting the development of sketches inspired by the mood board aesthetics. Through these sketches I envisioned a standalone unit adaptable to various kitchen and living room settings. After finalizing the design direction, a quick styrofoam prototype was created and tested through task analysis with users. This process helped refine the design, ensuring greater stability and a more user-friendly, inviting form
Minimal UI enabled effortless single-arm operation
Sleek design allowed easy reorientation, but the base lacked stability
The takeaway containers fit seamlessly in various household locations with a compact footprint
Tatva means the purity or element of your environment
- The simplified UI helps to control the room humidity and when not in use displays the quantity of water in the containers and quantity of water saved through air water generation
- Logo and typeface was designed to accentuate the minimal three stroke pattern generated from the facades of 'Hawa Mahal'
- Efficient Product Ecosystem: Designed a streamlined ecosystem for Tatva, including a device interface that provides real-time monitoring and control of water purification from air and status of water filled in its containers
- User-Centered Design Solutions: Conducted extensive user research and testing to create intuitive user interfaces and ergonomic product designs, ensuring accessibility and ease of use for diverse user groups
- Sustainable and Functional Design: Delivered a final product concept that combines advanced purification technology with eco-friendly materials and aesthetic appeal, promoting sustainability without compromising functionality