FREESTUDY - Anti-Occupancy Furniture
Product / Industrial Design Porject / Ian Jia, Jan. – Mar. 2021
PROBLEM
“There is not enough space for self-study, and there is no seat at all.” The reality is that there are tables with books on them but no one is there. According to preliminary investigations, reserving seats in libraries has become a seriously uncivilized phenomenon.
Among the many uncivilized behaviors in libraries or study areas, seat occupancy tops the list with 56%.
98% classmates have experienced a situation where they could not find a seat due to other people’s seat reservation.
In the most severe period, nearly half (55%) of the seats in the library were not used properly.
96% admit to occupying a seat regularly or occasionally.
INTERVIEW
During the exam season, reserving seats is particularly serious. The majority of students reserve seats to have a better private learning environment. The school lack effective management methods.
Student LIU
Sophomore
“When I study on my own, I don’t like having strangers next to me, which can distract me, so I often put a few books on my left and right seats.”
Mr SHEN
Libraian
“Reserving seats is particularly serious when the end of the semester approaches, and many problems will arise if left alone. But management methods have few effects.”
Student zHang
Sophomore
“Once I sat next to a boy with a bad smell, I was unable to concentrate on studying. Since then, even if I reserve a seat, I have to protect my private space.”
Student LI
Junior
“Once I was out for dinner halfway through, and when I returned, the book on the table had been taken away by the librarian.”
PERSONA
In self-study, personal space can be better protected. There should be more reasonable time-measuring methods to prevent trouble or misunderstanding.
Student ZHANG
21 years old / Undergraduate Student
“I personally dislike reserving the seat, but because I want an independent learning environment, sometimes I will reserve one or two seats.”
“Sometimes I go out to eat or discuss topics, and when I come back, I see that someone has already taken my seat, and I don’t know how to communicate with him.”
RESEARCH
REASON
The main reason for seat reservation is that students need more private space for self-study, and people need to leave temporarily.
48% think that the self-study area lacks independent learning space.
36% of people reserve seats because they need to temporarily leave.
16% think that school-related management is not effective.
PERSONAL SPACE
Personal space is variable. People’s personal space is carried with them whereever they go.
Once the personal space is invaded, each other will feel uncomfortable. This is the reason why many students would rather reserve a seat than sitting next to strangers to study.
Intimate distance
for embracing, touching or whispering
(one to 46 cm)
Personal distance
for interactions among good friends or family
(46 to 122 cm)
Social distance
for interactions among acquaintances
(1.2 to 3.7 m)
Public distance
used for public speaking
(3.7 m or more)
BOOKING SYSTEM ANALYSIS
The booking system solves the problem of reserving seats to a certain extent, but at the same time restricts students’ study time and personal space.
ADVANTAGES
- Easy to operate.
- No need to queue up on site.
- Reduce the phenomenon of reserving seats.
DISADVANTAGES
- Problems about personal space.
- low system visibility.
- Restrict the time of self-study.
PRODUCT PROPOSAL
BEFORE
Capacity of self-study area
Minmum: 4 people
(Considering personal space and seat reservation)
Maximum: 8 people
After
Capacity of self-study area
Minmum: 8 people
(Make sure everyone has their own personal space)
At the same time, if you want a small-scale discussion or group self-study, the desk and chair can be freely spliced.
I want to design an independent table and chair with time count and give users a good personal space for learning, in order to solve the problem of reserving library seats.
IDEATION
ERGONOMIC
- The chair is wider than normal, which can provide larger personal space.
- The table is taller and bigger than normal, providing a more comfortable self-study environment.
- The soft cushion fits the body curve.
1.Setting
The seat with green lights means that it’s available, so you can scan the QR code to choose your seat.
2.Using
The light will turn to yellow, which means someone is using this seat.
3. RESERVING
The time-counting will start, and the light will turn to pink, which means this seat is reserved now.
4.1. ON TIME
The pressure sensor will sense that you have returned to your seat and automatically stop the countdown.
4.2. OVERTIME
This seat become available again, and other people can choose this seat.
TECHNICAL ANALYSIS
TIMER
Connect to pressure sensor and phone by wireless for the reservation time count.
PRESSURE SENSOR
Sense user weight to change the light color and stop the countdown automatically.
LIGHTS
Connect to pressure sensor, in order to display the current status of the seat.
MODEL MAKING
