My first objective was to understand the meaning behind ergonomics. My own definition of ergonomics prior to research was a design suited towards making comfortability and usability its number one priority. It is a word that is used in the same breath of words such as bigger, better, faster, and stronger. What I have to find out is whether or not something that's called ergonomic universally so? A source I came upon described ergonomics as “the applied science of equipment design, as for the workplace, intended to maximize productivity by reducing operator fatigue and discomfort” (Steeman 2013). In this case, ergonomics is not necessary ergonomic to its audience but is intended to be so. I kept this in mind while researching various designs to draw inspiration. I want my design to stand out and force people to interact with the bottle in a way they had never before and in that way prove itself ergonomic.

I have a mission statement but why do athletes need this? As I stated earlier, we live in a time of bigger, faster, etc. According to Outdoorgearlab.com, some bottles got rid of simplicity for complex caps with quicker access to its contents but what we truly need and what I am looking to create is greater simplicity suited towards today's fast-paced lifestyle. People that are forgetful like myself lose caps all the time, what's more preferable than a lid that is essentially apart of the bottle and protects your contents? Water bottles have become uncomfortable at times to lug around and I will research different types of water bottles and come up with an answer for this.

There were a couple designs I was inspired from on grabcad.com. One such work included “Water Bottle Concept Surfacing” by Swapnil Nalawade on June 9th, 2017.

The work instantly struck me as everything I wanted for my audience in an ergonomic design, someone just beat me to it. To me, the shape provides a new way to hold water with it little spaces for fingers to hold onto which I liked. I learned here that the materials used in this rendering, made me much more excited about receiving it for myself than some of the other renderings and in terms of feel will be crucial then as well. Unfortunately, the creator did not have much to say about the work.

Another concept that interested me was the “VOSS Water bottle” by Joseph on March 16th, 2013.

The sleek two piece design resonated with me but did not meet the specifications for the project. Still, it sold me on a color scheme and general feel that I wanted to apply towards my own water bottle. Again, the creator did not have much to say about the work.

The last design, which I largely attribute to shaping my water bottle, was created by Andrew Ford on April 6th, 2015. This was indeed a winner, seemingly combining the two above. I would say that I am most concerned with how the bottle feels in-hand. The forms I have looked at for water bottles so far meet my personal objective, originality. The creator states that the bottle is actually made of stainless steel and has a silicon grip to make sure the cold doesn't affect whoever's holding it. The rubber stopper placed on the top of the bottle is genius in my opinion and personally de-stresses me from keeping up with the cap.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge Nicole Hone whose own water bottle designs embody nature itself. Its curvatures made prevalent by its transparent surface became the boundary for my own bottle as its radical appearance would have little impact for my target audience. According to Hone, the bottle was designed to be used for survival. “Its fluid, organic reflects the environment in which it is used. The inverted curved surface on the top side of the bottle allows for exterior rainwater collection” (Hone 2015). Hone suggest that the curved surfaces allow balance for the bottle and could be used to scoop a stream. One thing I didn't particularly like about this design was its cork which again adds on another thing that must be kept up with. I realize that it will be important for me to design something capable of protecting its contents without a lid.

From my research, I believe that incorporating elements from the following designs that inspire me and learning about materials they used as well as the functionality they were going for will be crucial in the beginning stages of the design process. From here, I will continue to build and research as I go. I believe one of the best ways to cultivate designs is not just online but in real life with people who are looking for real solutions. One of the ways I’d like to improve on future projects is to plan out my time to speak to others and show them early drafts of my work and get honest feedback.

Updated: Final Design

References

Ford, A. (2015, April 6). Ergo Cause Bottle. Retrieved February 13, 2018, from
https://grabcad.com/library/ergo-cause-bottle-1

Hone , N. (2015). Object Based Experiments 2015. Retrieved February 11, 2018, from
http://nicolehoneindn211.tumblr.com/

Jackson, J. (2017, June 26). How to Choose The Perfect Water Bottle for Your Activity |
OutdoorGearLab. Retrieved February 13, 2018, from
https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/topics/camping-and-hiking/best-water-bottle/
Buying-advice

Joseph. (2013, March 16). VOSS Water bottle. Retrieved February 13, 2018, from
https://grabcad.com/library/voss-water-bottle

Nalawade, S. (2017, June 9). Water Bottle Concept Surfacing. Retrieved February 10, 2018,
from https://grabcad.com/library/water-bottle-concept-surfacing-1

Steeman, A. (2013, September 27). Ergonomics in Bottle Design. Retrieved February 10, 2018,
from https://bestinpackaging.com/2013/07/21/ergonomics-in-bottle-design/