How can we make saving lives easier?
The U.S. Air Force connected with Thinklabs because their extrication tool, which they use to rescue soldiers, was not optimal. Soldiers in the field felt the tool was cumbersome, slow, and lacked the capability they desired. Thinklabs went to North Carolina and used ethnographic and participatory research methods to discover more opportunities to improve their current rescue tool beyond what was initially conceived.
Soldiers were observed struggling with the non-intuitive setup of the tool and poor functionality. Awkward handle rotation was limiting the user experience in tight situations where a few moments could mean life or death. Rescue missions at night were seen to be extremely difficult for soldiers. The night-vision goggles divided a users vision into long distance & immediate area viewing. These visual handicaps lead to decreased efficiency at all tasks.
Thinklabs set off to make the tool efficient in all aspects witnessed during our visit with the soldiers. Their struggles became our struggles. Their frustrations became our frustrations. And their happiness became our motivation.
How do you make LED technology beautiful?
The Ilumisys team sought to showcase their LED technology with designer series light fixtures. Working collaboratively with Ilumisys our team designed, developed, and prototyped a new line of light fixtures that exploited the characteristics of solid state lighting.
The unique characteristics of LEDs as a light source drove the form language of the fixtures. Each one represents a new level of lighting that could not be achieved with traditional light bulbs. Many of the flat surfaces become not just beautiful forms but heat-sinks to keep these LEDs running efficient. Often thought to run very cool, LED lighting actually runs quite hot at full brightness. Aluminum used in the fixtures helps to dissipate heat while adding to the aesthetic beauty of the fixtures.
Thinklabs was also responsible for the booth that displayed the designer series at Light Fair Las Vegas and other similar industry tradeshows. At Light Fair it won the Best-In-Show Award for both the lights and the booth and as a result received plenty of attention in industry periodicals and web blogs. Take a gander at the rest of the images in the series.
Can you smell good the whole night?
When you party hard, your body works hard too. Old Spice asked for some new and exciting ways to keep you smelling good. We thought, wouldn't it be great to carry the smell with you in a small, transportable case that you could refill and take out every night. The outcome was a refillable credit card case that fits in your wallet and keeps you smelling good the all night.
How do you help firefighters stay organized?
Thinklabs' deep research, in conjunction with Pierces's own marketing team, uncovered many issues that transcended the fire truck maintenance category. Traveling the country and stopping at every fire department we ran across we posed the question, "What do you want in a fire truck?" was the key to the Pierce Velocity.
Fire fighters identified easier maintenance access to internal fluids, staying organized, safety, ease of use and mobility inside & out of the vehicle as constant obstacles in current engines in their service. To start, we gave the Pierce Velocity more room in the cabin. Fire fighters now had increased headroom, leg-room, and more open floor space to move around in large suits and equipment. Multiple integrated compartments gave Firefighters a central location to keep their books, beverages, manuals and radios. This eliminated make shift organizational solutions some departments had haphazardly crafted. The doors on the Velocity were made wider than any other fire truck on the market to allow for a safe and easy ingress and egress. Door handles were re-designed to allow hands with thick gloves to easily open doors without any hang-ups or extra effort.
Through the research of Pierce and Thinklabs, we were able to create a truck that takes the fire fighter into consideration and is designed for their use, not the other way around.
How do you keep your power adapter safe?
Type "Magsafe" into Google image search and you'll find there are more than a few people who have had issues with their Apple power adapter. Making sure your cords stay safe, don't tear, and stay bundled during travel were still prevalent issues. To solve these, we came up with WrapUp; a cover for your power adapter which provides a means to wrap up the cords dangling around your bag and also protects the cord from stress and fatigue cuts over time. Check out the pics and let us know what you think!
How do you evolve your corporate identity?
From the Altair Brand Identity Guide:
“The new Altair Brand Identity subtly hints at the deeply interconnected relationship between our core competencies—Software Development, Simulation-Driven Design, and Client Relationship Building—while giving a nod to the visual history of our brand identity.”
Thinklabs, working closely with the executive leadership at Altair, developed a thoroughly researched and group-led rebranding effort for one of the world’s foremost engineering companies. Thinklabs developed an entire brand identity system which included: primary logos for print and digital applications, a stationery system, and a comprehensive set of brand guides for internal and external audiences.
How can you better visualize your products and ideas?
Simple - Work with us! Thinklabs utilizes high-end 3D modeling and rendering to visualize future products and brilliant ideas. We are there for you when you have a large presentation the next day and need a photorealistic image to sell an idea to your customer. We can also render out animations to set your presentations apart from the rest. Stuck on modeling? We can help with that too. We have access to amazing CAD modelers who can model parts and components from a variety of 3D data sources.
