Hugo Garcia

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ASSIST-HANDA Speculative personal solution for travelling on the London underground.

TIME:
2022
4 Weeks CLIENT:
MA/MSc Innovation Design Engineering
COLLABORATORS:
Karina Gunadi & Ori Nevares
Traveling on the London Underground can feel like navigating the depths of a sauna with a rock concert blasting in your ears. With noise levels that could wake the dead and temperatures that rival a tropical rainforest, it’s no wonder over 1,300 people have complained about this just in 2020. The average platform temperature hit a toasty 28.2°C in 2023, and during the summer, it’s not uncommon to see temps soar past 30°C—conditions that would be illegal for moving livestock, but apparently fine for humans!

So, if the London Transport Authority isn’t swooping in to save the day, why not take matters into your own hands—literally? Picture this: an extra pair of hands to help you survive the chaos of the Underground. Introducing Assisthand, your trusty, speculative sidekick for the daily Tube grind. Need to hold a coffee, read a book, and keep your cool all at once? No problem! With a simple voice command, Assisthand springs to life, giving you that extra set of hands you’ve always wished for.

This quirky gadget isn’t just for looks—it’s your personal noise-blocker, breeze-maker, and all-around comfort enhancer. Say goodbye to sweaty commutes and ear-splitting noise, and say hello to a journey that’s as smooth as it is surreal. Because when the Tube gets tough, the tough get… an extra pair of hands!







Problem

Travelling in the london Underground is an unpleasant experience.


The Designer suffering the noise of Victoria line a wishing to have a pair of extra hands.


  • The London Assembly's Environment Committee has raised concerns about excessive noise from the London Underground, with over 1,300 complaints filed between January 2020 and August 2022. The World Health Organization warns that such noise levels can seriously harm human health.

  • In 2023, the average platform temperature was 28.2°C, but between June and October, it consistently exceeded 30°C. Moving livestock under these conditions would be illegal.
    •  


Vision

A personal device to fight the worst aspects of travelling in the tube.





Process

Physical Iteration for the hardware combined with Wekinator Machine Learning for sound Recognition





Outcome.

A wearable controlled by voice commands that gives you an extra hand 



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