PROLUO

Portable Water Purification for Cyclists

3rd Year Studio - 11 Weeks

A project that sits close to home.

Inspired by my love for cycling and a simple prompt—portability, Proluo was my first taste of a comprehensive design and what it truly takes to be a designer. Over an entire semester, I researched and developed a unique water filtration system tailored for the avid two-wheel trekker.

RESEARCH & DESIGN DIRECTION

Background Research & Market Analysis

Water filtration and purification systems are standard and come in many forms to suit various contexts—from large-scale commercial use to smaller-scale public use and implementation into portable products. A thorough literature review gave insights into types of water contaminants and how we can decontaminate water.

Left: types of contamination; Right: methods of decontamination

There are plenty of products in the portable realm for different use cases, so market research and testing was done with a partner to understand the function and experience of different products. This helped guide the project from a technical standpoint and identified key opportunities for innovation.

Insights & Opportunities

We then synthesized all of our findings into clear guidelines for our individual design directions moving forward; considering improvements to form, function, materials, ergonomics, manufacturing and cost, and environmental impact.

Full Research Report

Design Brief

I decided to relate the project to myself and other bike enthusiasts by tailoring the product to these users.

Imagine you are going on a bikepacking trip to one of your bucket-list destinations with some friends. Your trip could be a few days or a full two weeks—on the go! How are you going to stay hydrated with potable water? Due to weight and waste concerns, you would rather not load up on store-bought plastic water bottles. Instead, what if you could draw on the various water sources en route?

Considerations

Individuals enjoy having their own bottles; need a shareable system for 2-4 people
Lightweight and compactible for easy storage on a bike or in a backpack
Durable, adaptable, and minimal components and steps to facilitate efficient stops
Combination of pre-filtration, carbon & ion exchange filtration, and UV purification for best results

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

Ideation

Using the narrative, I developed a simple framework for what stages the portable water purification system would entail and where I could innovate to meet my design criteria. I began taking inspiration from existing products and exploring the overall form, features, and configuration of components through sketching and scale mockups.

After this initial exploration, I had established the basic components of my system, how it would collapse, how the water should flow through, and the general proportions. I then decided what aspects of the use cycle needed to be tested.

Prototyping & User Testing

Test 1 - Quick Connection

My first design question involved the crucial step of connecting the dirty water reservoir to the filter. I prototyped and tested four unique mechanisms to see what kind of interaction users prefer.

Each design received positive feedback, although the 2-button quick connection was favoured for its high affordance and ease of use.

Quick connections: 1-Button; 2-Button; Pull-Ring; Twist-and-Lock

Test 2 - UI for UV Purification

My second question involved the design of the user interface during the UV purification stage. I created an interactive prototype for users to try, and their feedback was critical since many were confused about several of my design intents.

Their suggestions included redesigning the battery indicator, showing the red ring only when the battery is insufficient to run a cycle, and adding graphics since colour alone did not communicate adequately.

UI instances

Test 3 - Dispenser

Lastly, I wanted to assess the affordance of the dispenser system for accessing clean water. This test was also very insightful as many users hesitated over where and how to dispense the water.

The consensus was that the design was a neat method for making the water easy and efficient to access, especially for sharing, although better affordances were needed.

Dispenser interaction

Proposed Design

After synthesizing the results from my tests and doing further ideation and research into materials, I proposed a detailed design for critical feedback.

Product features and materials

Filtration and purification system

CONCEPT REFINEMENT

The overall design received great feedback and suggestions to refine the formal, visual, and tactual qualities, including UI and colouration, to achieve a more cohesive product that captured the market.

FINAL PRODUCT

Model Making

I then began the process of creating the final looks-like model which was a great learning experience as I got to use a variety of tools and machines.