Keep up : a product to assist flotation in times of distress : Art & Design (Product) Honours, Auckland University of Technology, 2015 / Daniel Smith.
In 2013 107 people drowned, 79 of which could have been preventable and 171 people were hospitalized as a result of water immersion. Drowning affects all New Zealanders regardless of gender, ethnicity, age or social status. In New Zealand drowning is consistently the third highest cause of unintenti...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Corporate Author: | |
| Format: | Ethesis |
| Language: | English |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Click here to access this resource online (AUT staff and students only) |
| Summary: | In 2013 107 people drowned, 79 of which could have been preventable and 171 people were hospitalized as a result of water immersion. Drowning affects all New Zealanders regardless of gender, ethnicity, age or social status. In New Zealand drowning is consistently the third highest cause of unintentional death, only accidental falls and road vehicle crashes surpass this figure. This practice-lead research project reviews drowning as a process setting out to identify possible design opportunities. The aim was to design a product intervention with the intent of helping people stay afloat whilst they are waiting to be rescued by a lifeguard or until they can make their own way back to shore. This research project utilizes action research and user-centred design to understand why people are drowning. Using observation, case studies and literature reviews, as the main exploratory influence the researcher was able to evaluate the drowning process, which informed concept development. The design proposal embodies a new approach in order to create a unique and innovative solution to answer the research question. Whilst this concept could be an essential step towards reducing the drowning rate in New Zealand, thorough testing and validation would be required to draw factual conclusions. With 372 000 people dying every year around the world due to drowning, the implications of this product could be significant and serve as a possible answer to the problematic issue. |
|---|---|
| Physical Description: | 1 online resource : illustrations |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references. |