Final year project
The investigation into Arm Pump in motocross riders and the mitigation… [Read more]
Investigation into Arm Pump in motocross riders: stakeholder engagement
Effective stakeholder engagement is a key aspect to understanding problems faced by current users of products. In order to establish the optimum mitigation methods for relieving symptoms of Arm pump in motocross riders, a condition resulting in pain and weakness of the forearm muscles when riding or racing- resulting in reduced control and the increased likelihood of incident occurring, the skills as an ergonomist were required to be utilised. Skills utilised included; task analysis, postural analysis, emphatic modelling, and other research methods. These would allow for appropriate design solutions and further research areas to be proposed.
Investigation into Arm Pump in motocross riders: perceived Arm Pump causation from riders studied
Over 200 Motocross riders provided insight into the condition of Arm Pump and their perceived levels of pain and control. Riders mitigation methods and their perceived view on the causation of the condition were provided in relation to the interaction between human and motorcycle. Responses provided were qualitative and required the thematic analysis of each data item. This allowed for common themes to be established and a visual thematic analysis map of causation to be produced.
Vibrotact - optimising safety in factories through forklift truck and personnel segregation: proposal
Liam had the opportunity to spend a short amount of time in his final year to discover a problem, conduct research and propose a solution from which further development could take place.
Forklift truck and personnel segregation in factories is an important safety concern due to the detrimental consequences of an incident occurring. It was determined that current solutions have not considered the limitations of the human and the equipment. In an environment where the human’s other senses are hindered or over worked, touch can be utilised through vibration delivered to the chest of the factory worker, to indicate if they have walked into an exclusion zone or if a Forklift truck is in proximity.
Vibrotact - optimising safety in factories through forklift truck and personnel exclusion: ideation
Ideation is an important aspect to the design process once thorough research has been conducted. Before establishing Vibrotact as the proposed solution, a variety of forms and positions on the body were discovered where vibration could be delivered effectively.
Rail safety investment areas: thematic analysis visualisation
Over 150 responses were received from personnel working for a large rail organisation to a question related to where investment should be made. These responses went through thematic analysis and the common themes are presented visually in a word cloud. The work conducted will be presented at the Seventh International Human Factors Rail Conference 23rd to 25th June 2021.
Inclusive sports product design competition proposal: Navigo - making orienteering accessible
Liam was awarded runner up in the ASSET-LDS Inclusive sports product design competition in 2017. The competition required the design of an assistive sports product or game for schoolchildren with disabilities. His design allowed for orienteering to be accessible by those with disabilities that impact ones cognitive, physical, visual and auditory abilities. The proposal tailors an experience of orienteering by utilising the participants alternate capabilities. The proposal uses light and vibration delivered to the wearer to determine the location of target points. This delivers an experience of orienteering that removes the need for map reading and interpretation.
Optimising the motorcycle tuning experience: physical model
Liam optimised motorcycle tuning by producing a product that replaced the basic hand held device that had been used at the time for a Japanese manufactured motocross bike. The device allows for the operation by mechanics track side or allows for mounting on the motorcycle itself to be used by the rider. A variety of model making techniques were explored through the development of the proposal.
Personal project: upcycling motorcycle components for the manufacture of a bar stool
Liam had developed manufacturing skills over several years prior to attending university. These include; TIG and MIG welding, Lathe and Milling machine operation, and other fabrication methods. At 16 he began the manufacture of a bar stool utilising upcycled motorcycle components and his own one-off connecting components that allows for the final product to come together.
Liam Toase
Through stakeholder engagement, key ergonomic methodologies and creative thinking, Liam offers the ability to propose evidence driven design solutions that meet established user requirements.
The broad skill set attained from studying Design Ergonomics (BSc) allowed for the flexibility in tailoring Liam's final year project towards an evidence driven proposal, utilising research and stakeholder engagement for the development of well supported solutions. Liam offers a skill set incorporating established methods to provide reasoning behind his creative design solutions that have the maximal benefit to the end users.
Having raced motocross for many years, Liam pursued a Final year Project that would study Arm Pump in motocross riders, a topic that has serious impact on rider performance but limited published material on its understanding. With over 200 data items, Liam's research would provide the largest known collection of rider correspondence, enabling the condition to be better understood and providing evidence for design decisions that have routed scientific reasoning.
By opting for research over prototyping, Design Ergonomics has offered the refinement in Liam’s skills more detrimental to supporting reasoning for design proposal rather than being able to showcase a final design solution. However, his creativity, innovation and manufacturing skills have been evident over several years, particularly when awarded runner up in the ASSET-LDS Inclusive sports product design competition in 2017, and work for the 3M Labs developing injection moulding tools for a prototype future facemask.
Final year project
The investigation into Arm Pump in motocross riders and the mitigation methods applied for its relief
Awards
Selected to present at the Seventh International Human Factors Rail Conference 23rd to 25th June 2021.
Liam will be presenting his paper on Safety culture and safety learning within the rail industry at the international conference on his work conducted while on placement with Arup.
Diploma in Professional Studies 2019.
Runner up in the ASSET-LDS Inclusive sports product design competition 2017.
Liam was awarded runner up in the competition requiring the design of an assistive sports products or game for schoolchildren with disabilities. His design allowed for orienteering to be accessible by those with disabilities that impact ones cognitive, physical, visual and auditory abilities. The proposal tailors an experience of orienteering by utilising the participants alternate capabilities.
Loughborough Design School Prize for Academic Excellence 2017.
Experience
December '18-September '19 Arup Solihull – Assistant Human Factors consultant in Operations Consulting - Industrial Placement
Working with a range of clients including but not limited to; Network Rail – Research and presentation of findings of Safety Investment areas for operations, Highways England - Incident Investigation and Root cause analysis, HS2 – Persona development and station Operations, Cardiff Parkway station – Disability Impact assessment including stakeholder engagement, Internal Arup – Inclusive buildings persona development. Skills acquired included the management of client requirements, managing multiple projects simultaneously, Human Factors and Ergonomics application to client projects, and planning and organisation for the facilitation of workshops.
September '14-October '16 3M Newton Aycliffe - Apprentice maintenance engineer
Liam developed his practical engineering skills, understanding of maintenance and knowledge of the operations within a large company, having worked in a range of areas within the factory. He developed many valuable skills and gained respect for the quality of his work produced, opening the door to independent manufacturing opportunities, such as developing prototype injection moulding tools using the lathe for a future product. Knowledge and experience gained at 3M was beneficial in its application to his studies at university in relation to both Design and Ergonomics, appreciating the realism of product manufacture and human factors within a large company.
Placements
December 2018 - September 2019
Assistant Human Factors consultant in Operations Consulting, Arup