Final year project
Endless shower for off-grid living - closed loop water purification [Read more]
Four stage water filtration and sterilisation unit which recycles shower water to enable prolonged, high-pressure showers with limited water.
Lack of affordable housing and frustration with ‘the daily grind’ is encouraging people to favour alternative living situations, such as vans, to gain a sense of freedom. However, the current compromise for this is no regular access to a decent shower. The product filters and sterilises 15 litres of water in a closed-loop, allowing users to have long showers, bringing the comforts of modern life to the nomadic lifestyle.
A digital/analogue camera hybrid designed to teach the art of film photography at a low cost.
Mofu is a camera that grows with the users as they expand their knowledge of the art of photography. The camera aims to entice the young creative into the realms of analogue film, playing on the nostalgia created by the imperfections in the image.
The chassis of the camera is designed to stay with the user for life, developing its own imperfections as it ages, slowly morphing with the addition of new parts that unlock features originally hidden to allow for a simplistic introduction to the medium.
Multi-functional device that preserves memories for those with early stage dementia.
Soulram is a set of products designed to aid early-stage dementia patients in capturing important memories through the medium of film and images whilst they still have the ability to use new devices. The patient is able to replay the preserved memories using the in-built projector module that detaches from the main unit. The patient also builds the habit of placing essential items in the bowls situated in each room of the house - allowing the items to be located by the patient or carers.
Image of the filtration/sterilisation unit installed in a bathroom.
Alternative living environments often have curved walls that create difficulty when installing utilities. To overcome this, the product has been designed to incorporate CAM mechanisms that allow the user to mount the unit vertically, whatever the angle of the wall.
Top view – showing the lever/latch mechanism.
The top moulding has been designed to enable easy access and replacement of the UVC sterilisation LED strips and sediment filter. When unclipped, the latches turn into levers that are used to break the O-ring piston seal.
Image of the interactive prototype.
A series of low and high-fidelity interactive models were created to test the mechanisms with target users in order to identify any issues and thus refine the user experience. In addition, the final interactive model was designed with manufacturing in mind and used to assess the ease of assembly.
Activated carbon filter from the system test prototype.
Developing a functional prototype was essential to test both the backpressure caused by the filtration process and the system’s ability to purify water to a high standard at the desired flow rate. The system prototype was put under a series of destructive tests to find areas of failure that were then resolved.
Image of the Soulram aesthetic model.
This project demonstrates my ability to create aesthetic prototypes. In this case, the aesthetic model was made of two parts. The base was fabricated from MDF board that was stacked and shaped by hand. The top moulding was created by vacuum forming a PVC sheet around an MDF mould.
Aran Kalogroulis
I am a problem-solving industrial designer with a strong background in engineering and electrical systems and a passion for creating seamless, intuitive experiences.
My sense of joy and accomplishment tends to come from my ability to imagine solutions to problems that are claimed by many to be unsolvable – this produces the motivation I need to engage in a project and develop a beautiful yet manufacturable product. I take pride in my ability to realise concepts rapidly on paper and in CAD. I have grown up in a household of engineers and initially started my University journey in engineering, so have a true understanding of structural analysis and material science allowing me to employ mechanisms and electrical systems in order to produce the functionality desired. I chose to move to design to follow my passion for generating attractive products that engage users in experiences that require little instruction and cause no confusion.
Through working for a year at a consultancy, my eyes were opened to the differences between the worlds of academia and industry. I would like to further my experience and apply what I have learnt by working in either a consultancy or an in-house design team, with the view to going it alone at some point in the future.
Final year project
Endless shower for off-grid living - closed loop water purification
Awards
'20 Diploma in Professional Studies
Experience
I am proud to have worked for FSW Design Ltd, a design consultancy in Nottingham, where I discovered the power of working within a team of excellent designers. I took my own products from ideation to market, whilst supporting other projects that colleagues were working on - I was fortunate enough take multiple products through to production. Working for FSW was an invaluable experience and allowed me to understand the considerations needed when designing for manufacture and assembly. It has allowed me to drastically reduce the time spent on projects by designing with materials and processes in mind from the beginning.
Whilst at University I started a company, refurbishing and repairing cameras for resale. This gave me experience in negotiating with customers and an understanding of the workings of a business and marketing, whilst funding my slightly too expensive camera hobby.
Alongside the camera business, I started Morfi Design Ltd to enable me to undertake consultancy work whilst studying. This has opened a lot of avenues and has exposed me to many interesting projects. I have reinvested the profits and purchased several 3D printers which has expanded my client base through the offer of rapid prototyping.
Before coming to University, I was interested in becoming a film set manager. I became the youngest stage manager for the Sixth Form College and led a team of 15-20 people, managing productions and private events. During this time period, I undertook work experience at Scott Fleary Productions where I worked on TV staging for programmes such as the X-Factor, gaining an understanding of bespoke projects.
Placements
July 2018 - June 2019
Industrial Designer, FSW Design Ltd