Major Project
Prevention of long term wrist injuries and prolong gaming performance for… [Read more]
Wristopad - an ergonomic gaming mouse pad for Esports enthusiasts
Wristopad prevents PC gaming enthusiasts from getting long term wrist injuries such as the carpel tunnel syndrome and arthritis. The free moving wrist support allows the wrist to stay in a neutral position while performing repetitive wrist and finger motions. The mouse pad offers a command surface of 400 x 280mm, which is suitable for low-sense and high-sense gamers.
Overlooked Esports injuries
UK Esports is growing in popularity and alongside this growth related injuries are on the rise due to a lack of awareness and self-discipline. Esports clinician often mentioned that whenever there is a gamer patient, it is always the case of overuse injuries. The pain takes a lot of time to present itself, but once it is noticeable, it usually means that the wrist has been overloaded for at least a year.
Target audience research
Gaming habit and environment of Esports gamer were explored through in depth contextual research. The methods used include​d user observation, environment analysis, existing product analysis and contextual interviews.
Key insights
- Bad posture gradually forms without the gamers noticing because they are too focussed on the gaming content.
- Even the best ergonomic products will become futile if the user does not have the intention to correct their posture.
- Casual PC gamers enjoy the experience of gaming more than their improvement in gaming performance, hence they are satisfied with ergonomically poor gaming environment.
Wrist support design development
Lo-fi models were first made to redefine the shape and sizes of the wrist support. In the second stage of development, design changes were focused on functionality and practicality. Connections with the rail and mouse pad as a complete product is considered. Details were added and tested through 3D printed prototypes.
Prototype Evaluation
Participant was asked to play the same computer game with the same level twice throughout the evaluation, one in normal setup, another one with the prototype. A co-op action RPG game was chosen for the test. The gameplay and movement of the hand that controls the mouse were recorded for analysis.
Ergonomic considerations
The wrist support itself can rotate 360 degrees, which can anticipate varied hand movements from different players. Width of the support is adjustable for different wrist size to fit with ease. The spacing between the plates avoids tendons, nerves and blood vessels to be compressed under the weight of the arm.
Enhance performance with easy assembly
The support is mounted on a roller runner that slides in a fixed rail in the X-axis direction. With a permissible load of 75kg, the rollers, permanently lubricated and sealed, are made of stainless steel coated with polyamide to ensure a smooth and silent movement. The Y-axis shafts are protected by two plastic covers from dust and potential spillage of water.
Brian Wong
I am a problem driven designer devoted to provide solutions that balance between aesthetics and functionality
I graduated from the University of the Arts London Central Saint Martins College in BA Product Design before joining the MSc IID course. Coming from an artistic learning environment, my design approach is solution-oriented yet without losing the aesthetic touch on the final outcome.
My 2 years of work experience in a luxury designer handbag brand has developed my skills to produce high end hardwares that meets the fast pace fashion trends. The design process was executed with high efficiency starting from ideation to final production. My subrole as a production assistant strengthened my ability to collaborate with manufacturers, overcoming unforeseen production problems.
I believe new generation designers should not only focus on providing products and services to customers, but also adopting a system-orientated thinking to support the business and work flow from within.
Major Project
Prevention of long term wrist injuries and prolong gaming performance for Esports enthusiast
Awards
Passenger Terminal World Design Challenge 2016 - Runner up
Hosted by the Passenger Terminal World Magazine, the airport seating design competition seeks to find innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of todays passengers. Shortlisted work considered factors such as aesthetics, comfort, cost, durability and environmentally friendly design.