Glisse
A skating aid and commuter bag carrier
The main goal of this project was to design a product that solves issues faced in the winter season.The design was to include an elegant and simple transformation of structure.
Glisse is a skating aid and commuter carrier. The main design features include its ability to hinge into a compact form that fits into its transformative carrying bag and its adjustable handle angles.
The idea behind the design was to provide a skating aid for older generations. Current skating aids are generally geared towards young children.
I wanted to deviate from the classic skating aid design that may make older
users self-conscious and discouraged while learning to skate.
The main considerations in developing this design were to create a visually appealing product that could function for different user types and scenarios. I wanted to create a product that could act as a skating aid when needed for beginner skaters, but also function as a commuter carrier for users traveling to work or other activities by way of the Rideau Canal.
Research
I did research to get information on skating aids, ergonomic measurements and hinging mechanisms. I researched skating skating aids currently on the market and drew inspiration from umbrella strollers for the incorporation of hinging and collapsible aspects of my design.
Ideation
Through sketching and low-grade prototypes I explored different curves and angles of the design. I wanted to create an elegant shape, while still taking in to consideration the form it took after collapsing.
Concept Prototyping
The second prototype explored the hinging mechanisms. I wanted to see how the users went about hinging the prototype and get feedback on how the collapsed form functioned.
I created different prototypes to test different aspects of my design. The first prototype tested ergonomic height, width and length of the structure. I wanted to observe how the users pushed the product and which handle positions they favored.
Design Detailing
Other design details include the detachable holding bag, the hooks that the bag attaches to and the adjustable handles (that work the same as the base skis (with an easy ‘push button’ to customize the handle angle.
Final Design
The final design includes two main functions. One function is a skating aid for beginner skaters. It is designed to be used by an older generation of new skaters. It provides support to those who cannot stand up or skate on their own and it provides comfort to those who are not confident in their skating abilities. The second function is a baggage and accessory carrier for commuters on the canal. It provides a holder for bags, briefcases, boots and other personal items when users are traveling to work or other activities by way of the Rideau Canal. I chose to have my product multifunctioning as both a skating aid and commuter carrier to eliminate insecurities of beginner skaters by camouflaging the fact that the product is a tool for users who cannot skate. By having multiple users, with varrying skating abilities, the product becomes a commonly used and fashionable item.
This product can be used in indoor and outdoor settings. Some possible environments that it could be used in are the canal, frozen ponds, outdoor rinks and indoor rinks, although its main environment is designed to be the canal. The materials of the product include a light wood frame, aluminum support bars, a mesh fabric carrier bag and plastic hinges and buttons.
The product is designed to be light-weight and as compact as possible in order for it to be portable and easily packed away for commuters who need to bring it to places such as work, or to fit nicely in user’s cars.
