Yiwen Wu
Engineer · Designer · Baker · Traveler
Dream Chair
January 2014 - December 2014
Five Team Members
This was a year long design project sponsored by Reverie, a leading company in innovative adjustable beds. I worked in a multidisciplinary team consisting of one computer science undergraduate student, three electrical engineering graduate students, and one mechanical engineering undergraduate student. We were asked to design the "Dream Chair" that has all the functions of a bulky zero gravity massage chair but the sleekness of a modern chair. Over the course of the year, we designed a minimalist voice controlled zero gravity massage chair with individually adjustable parts in a multidisciplinary team for a corporate partner who will bring the design to market in two years.
Inspiration
Interviewed Reverie CEO, engineers, and industrial designer to identify available resources and constraints.
Interviewed target consumers to uncover true desires and design opportunities.
Visited Reverie R&D Center and local furniture stores for inspirations.
Assessed market potential through desk research.
Took a social science research course to develop research skills for better understanding of the real needs and challenges.
Took courses in sustainable engineering and design, strength of materials and finite element analysis to build a solid technical foundation for this project.
Functionality
Sleekness
Zero gravity postion and its benefits
Benefits:
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Relieves stress on the body
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Promotes circulation in legs
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Reduces swelling
Ideation
Disassembled and studied the internal mechanism and electronics of a linear actuator and an automotive seat for potential design usage.
Synthesized research learnings and defined the project objective to be creating a minimalist voice controlled zero gravity massage chair with individually adjustable parts.
Brainstormed design concepts to accomplish the defined design goal.
Created sketches to better communicate design ideas with teammates and Reverie engineers.
Designed mechanical systems with integrated electronics and constructed a detailed 3D CAD model of the whole chair.
Performed dynamic and static analysis of the model and optimized the design through iterative process.
Disassembled linear actuator and automotive seat
Early sketches
Preliminary 3D CAD model of the chair with integrated electronics
Final model not shown due to confidentiality reasons.
Simulation of seat adjustment
Implementation
Created a Bill of Materials and purchased fasteners, electronics, and other materials including steel, aluminum, wood, fabrics, composites.
Utilized various manufacturing processes including milling, lathing, welding, drilling, cutting, sewing and waterjetting to prototype the chair with integrated electronics.
Conducted functionality, robustness and stability tests for design refinement.
Presented at the school Design Expo to students, professors, faculties, Reverie CEO and engineers, and local elementary, middle, and high school students.
Obtained feedback from over 30 people who tried the chair at the Design Expo.
Steel, aluminum, foam and fabrics
Prototype manufacturing
Waterjetting aluminum sheet
Integrating mechanical and electrical components
Assembled chair frame with integrated electronics
Patially assembled chair cushions
Prototype testing
Ready for load test!
Circuits testing
Voice control testing
Design Expo
People enjoying our chair at the Design Expo!
Over 30 people tried our chair at the Design Expo!
Their happy faces made all the hard work worth it!
