e
Here's What Happens When You Let the Engineers Do Everything
The Origibot2 Telepresence Robot Platform with Gripper probably didn't have any industrial designers on staff
Engineers would say that you can't let us designers run unchecked, otherwise everything would be touchy-feely and impossible to make. I get that. But by the same token, when you leave the engineers in charge, you get super creepy machines like this:
Look, I'm not denying the thing might be useful. They demonstrate it making the correct choice between Corona and Michelob Ultra, and the design is such that you can kick it over and it cannot get back up to pursue revenge. But there's a reason they don't show a dog in the video, even though it fills a dog bowl with water; I can't think of a single canine that wouldn't attack this thing.
More proof of an entirely engineer-based development team: The voice-over states that they'll make it "in various colors to suit any taste or décor." Right, because the main way you adapt something for, say, a a Victorian interior versus a modernist one, is to make it magenta.
-
o1Favorite This
-
Q13Comment
Directory Company Profiles
Core77
Industrial Design
Resources
Industrial Design
Resources
-
Core77 Directory
Find the Best Industrial Design CompaniesGo -
Speck Design
Speck Design is a Silicon Valley product design and strategy consultancy. For twenty years Speck Des...
-
TactileTactile is a product and UX design firm founded in 2004. Blending physical and digital design, we cr...
-
Spatial Dynamics
Spatial Dynamics is a hardware product design and development agency located in Cambridge, Massachus...
-
Architectural Cladding & Roofing
Architectural Cladding & Roofing (ArcClad) are a New Zealand based firm specializing in roofing prod...
-
4design
4DESIGN | www.4design.com.au | +612 9280 4454 4DESIGN are a team of focussed, talented, motivated a...
-
Kritzer Design Studio | KDS
Based in Seattle, WA. Kritzer Design Studio | KDS specializes in providing award winning industrial ...
-
Mighty Studios
Mighty Studios is a business-savvy product design consultancy. We believe that good design should be...
K
{Welcome
Create a Core77 Account
Already have an account? Sign In
By creating a Core77 account you confirm that you accept the Terms of Use
K
Reset Password
Please enter your email and we will send an email to reset your password.
Comments
They did hire an industrial designer. From their Indiegogo (https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/origibot2-telepresence-robot-platform-with-gripper#/) "We then hired an industrial designer to add finesse and manufacture-ability to our purely functional design." Well, so much for that. I guess the title did say "probably" but there are times where the designer's recommendations are not implemented. Oh well.
I agree with Mr DiTullo, and would add the "engineers cannot design, and designers cannot engineer" trope is lazy and tired. I see more of an inexperienced team (both engineering and industrial design). In the age of Kickstarter and Indiegogo the project's level of polish seems to be enough to launch...for better or for worse.
I would also add it appears that there were a few other priorities or early decisions that really hindered their ability to execute a better design. They designed around the use of low-end 3d printers and off-shelf components and hardware. This can be very limiting, yet they built an affordable option to "compete" against a $9k product.
Every ID person's worst nightmare come true, sticks on wheels with screens and grabber. HA!
Anti-Design???
So, is styling the problem or is it the product concept? What kind of value do we believe an industrial designer would add to the project? I see a poorly styled product, the concept is good though. Reproducing stereotypes is not very constructive, I would have preferred more sophisticated critique.
I can't think of a single me that wouldn't attack this thing.
I want to make a movie where these take over the the planet.
This looks like something I'd get from a client as a quick proof of concept study that we would tear down and build an actual design from. A necessary step along the way but far from a consumer grade product.
Agreed.
R2can'tDU
It looks more like something you'd sell as a DIY kit with the exposed wires and lack of design.
Hey Rich! Funny to see you chiming in. Much agreed man. Looks like an inner frame without much though as to surfacing.
I guess if you are someone confined to a chair or a bed this can be useful. Otherwise, it seems that controlling this thing by remote control to get you the jar of peanuts that you conveniently left on top of the table, would take forever and would take many, many tries to get it correctly. And then you'd stomp and kick the thing because you are mad is such an inefficient servant.