sandeep makam's portfolio

Sandeep Makam 1

Anti Aircraft Gun for World War II Frigates This artillery device was designed for a Pro|E competition in 2006. It was to be used in World War II

It required 360° mobility for the muzzle (about the vertical axis) as well as fast firing rates for low flying aircrafts

The isometric view of the Anti Aircraft Gun shows the base on which the barrel and muzzle are mounted

The muzzle is counterbalanced by a weight whose position is adjustable

The 90° cutaway of the swivel base shows torsion springs and clutch systems to hold the muzzle locked and stable in position and the 90° cutaway of the muzzle shows the bolt-pin firing assembly, spring-dampener recoil system, barrel and the barrel holder

Detailed file available online: AntiAircraftGun.pdf (http://sites.google.com/site/sandeepmakams/Home/AntiAircraftGun.pdf)

Isometric view of the Anti Aircraft Gun 90° cutaway section of the base

Screw bearing for counterweight Clutch “gear” in the base

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90° cutaway section of the muzzle

http://sites.google.com/site/sandeepmakams/Home/AntiAircraftGun.pdf�

http://sites.google.com/site/sandeepmakams/Home/AntiAircraftGun.pdf

Sandeep Makam 2

Futuristic Computer & Tower This set of computer hardware was designed in Pro|E for a competition in 2006. It was required that the computer and its peripherals looked

futuristic

The emphasis was on aesthetics, ergonomics and visual appeal

The ease in manufacturing and assembly of this device was another important factor considered in this modular, compact design

Detailed file available online: Computer.pdf (http://sites.google.com/site/sandeepmakams/Home/Computer.pdf)

Fan on computer tower Wireless speaker

Wireless stackable keyboard

Computer tower, monitor and wireless peripherals

http://sites.google.com/site/sandeepmakams/Home/Computer.pdf�

http://sites.google.com/site/sandeepmakams/Home/Computer.pdf

Sandeep Makam 3

DUIBot – Real Time Library Cataloguing Robot The objective was to design a system which can update the library book list in real time so that the precise location of the book at that moment is

known by keying in the Call number of the book. This was part of a course in 2007

A complete consumer survey and market survey was completed and analyzed for the customer needs & setting design targets

Number of ideas were generated for each of the design requirements and then we chose the best combination of them all using a Design Decision Matrix by assigning weights to different needs and the corresponding feature addressing it

The algorithms for reading the optical bar codes were developed and implemented in MATLAB® and the control system was implemented using PIC 16F84A microcontrollers

Detailed file available online: DUIBotDocumentation.pdf (http://sites.google.com/site/sandeepmakams/Home/DUIBotDocumentation.pdf)

Close-up view of the scanner system mounted on the horizontal rack

Isometric view of the horizontal & vertical rack systems (lead screw) for maneuvering the scanner pod

http://sites.google.com/site/sandeepmakams/Home/DUIBotDocumentation.pdf�

http://sites.google.com/site/sandeepmakams/Home/DUIBotDocumentation.pdf

Sandeep Makam 4

DUIBot – Real Time Library Cataloguing Robot Design Decision Matrix for the various designs that we generated:

Sandeep Makam 5

DUIBot – Real Time Library Cataloguing Robot FAST Analysis for the DUIBot:

Sandeep Makam 6

DUIBot – Real Time Library Cataloguing Robot Product Architecture of the DUIBot:

Sandeep Makam 7

Linear Geneva Cam This kinematic mechanism was designed for a course project in 2006. The 3D model of the mechanism was done on Pro|E

The kinematics of the mechanism for the required speed and size were calculated and simulated on Working Model 2D (a proprietary software for simulating kinematic linkages and cams). A video of the simulation was generated

The mechanism translates continuous rotational motion to intermittent translational motion. The pin on the rotating cam reaches into a slot on the driven bar and advances it by twice the radius of rotation of the pin

Detailed file available online: LinearGenevaCam.avi (http://sites.google.com/site/sandeepmakams/Home/LinearGenevaCam.avi)

Isometric view of the Linear Geneva Cam mechanism showing the pin on the cam, the handle to rotate it and the slots on the slider

Representative screen shots from the video of the simulation, showing the working of the mechanism

Final foam & straw model of the mechanism

http://sites.google.com/site/sandeepmakams/Home/LinearGenevaCam.avi�

http://sites.google.com/site/sandeepmakams/Home/LinearGenevaCam.avi

Sandeep Makam 8

Gearbox for 4:1 Reduction A gearbox with a 4:1 reduction ratio for a 1kW power usage was designed for a course project in 2007. Designed life span was for 10 years. A design

constraint was that only 5 pieces of this gearbox were required

The gearbox was modeled in Pro|E and the calculations were done in MATLABs

DFM and DFA (part handling and part assembly) analysis were completed for the gearbox

The emphasis was on selection of materials, choice of manufacturing methods and the assembly considerations

Detailed file available online: Gearbox.pdf (http://sites.google.com/site/sandeepmakams/Home/Gearbox.pdf)

Isometric view of the Gearbox showing the two-piece housing which requires only two fasteners

Side view of the Gearbox showing the bearings, oil sump and oil level indicator

http://sites.google.com/site/sandeepmakams/Home/Gearbox.pdf�

http://sites.google.com/site/sandeepmakams/Home/Gearbox.pdf

Sandeep Makam 9

Stove for Military Purposes This was done for a course project (ME 682 – Fundamentals of Product Design, Prof. Blaine Lilly) in 2009

An existing alcohol camping stove was the starting point in our design. We (team of 3) thought of potential alternate uses for the stove and worked on making it useful for military personnel

It was designed to be small, robust and light-weight; possibly collapsible

It was required to function at varying altitudes and remain undetected; hence required oxygen-fuel ratio adjustment

We came up with 5 alternative designs, evaluated them using a weighted decision matrix and finally manufactured the best among them

Functional prototype of the final design: Fuel storage compartment, Oxygen-Fuel ratio adjustment, storage of matches, striker, LED torch

The fuel storage and match-stick compartment along with the LED torch

The fuel burning compartment

Fuel – Oxygen ratio controller which slides up and down and covers the holes in the fuel burning compartment

Sandeep Makam 10

Stove for Military Purposes Comparison of the various designs

Sandeep Makam 11

Wine-o-Drying Tower This was done for a course project (ME 682 – Fundamentals of Product Design, Prof. Blaine Lilly) in 2009

The objective was to pick out a profession, conduct informational interviews, figure out bottlenecks or problem areas and address them

My team (of 3) chose the Bartending profession. We interviewed 2 bartenders to figure out potential product design opportunities

We worked on a glass management system which dried & circulated glass, prevented dripping, compact, modular, aesthetic & time saving. It could be used with multiple types of glasses as well.

It worked as a diffused light source too

The product could be used in multiple ways: Hung from the ceiling, On the table and stacked as a tower

The tower with wine glasses in them, being dried. Due to the

sector-shaped groves at the top, the tower can hold glasses of any size and shape – cocktail glasses, champagne glasses, highball glasses etc.

The tower can be hung from the ceiling for overhead access, or kept at the center of a restaurant table or stacked up on a bar – three tiered, the lowest at the waist level

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Sandeep Makam

Apple Inc.’s iPhone has been well appreciated for its user

interface. This report however, finds the problems in the

interface from a Human Factors engineering and usability

perspective. The problems are critiqued and better design

solutions are proposed.

System Evaluation

iPhone

1 System Evaluation - iPhone

ISE 770 - System

The iPhone, released in 2007

enabled smartphone designed and marketed by

minimal hardware interface lacks a physical

the multi-touch screen renders a

The iPhone features a camera, a portable media player and an

internet client along with the basic phone functionalities of placing

and receiving calls and messages.

Ever since it was released, the iPhone has received rave reviews about its ground breaking user

interface. I agree that the UI is leaps ahead of the competitio

student, I can still spot quite a few issues with the design. I have elucidated my ideas in the

following pages with pictures and diagrams.

Home Screen: With more than 21 million iPhones sold, the App Store has seen more than 2

billion downloads. That averages to about 100 apps per iPhone. The iPhone home screen can

show up to 16 apps in one page. Assuming a retention rate of even 75% (i.e. you delete one

four apps), users will have at least

of Organizational grouping violates Wicken’s 8

information access cost. Since the primary visual area is limited,

group apps which were related in function or type, hierarchically such as a drill down menu, it

would help observe the proximity

have a logo of the same shap

shape would help discover and differe

System Evaluation – iPhone

2007, is an internet and multimedia

designed and marketed by Apple Inc. Its

minimal hardware interface lacks a physical keyboard, and so,

screen renders a virtual keyboard when necessary.

features a camera, a portable media player and an

client along with the basic phone functionalities of placing

and receiving calls and messages.


interface. I agree that the UI is leaps ahead of the competition but as a Cognitive Human Factors


following pages with pictures and diagrams.

With more than 21 million iPhones sold, the App Store has seen more than 2


apps in one page. Assuming a retention rate of even 75% (i.e. you delete one

four apps), users will have at least 5 pages to scroll through to launch the required app.

of Organizational grouping violates Wicken’s 8th law of display designs of minimizing

information access cost. Since the primary visual area is limited, if the iPhone allowed users to


would help observe the proximity-compatibility principle. Also, if the apps are not constrained to

have a logo of the same shape (squares with rounded corners), different designs for the logo

shape would help discover and differentiate the required apps sooner because of higher visibility.

iPhone


n but as a Cognitive Human Factors


With more than 21 million iPhones sold, the App Store has seen more than 2


apps in one page. Assuming a retention rate of even 75% (i.e. you delete one in

pages to scroll through to launch the required app. The lack

law of display designs of minimizing

if the iPhone allowed users to


compatibility principle. Also, if the apps are not constrained to

e (squares with rounded corners), different designs for the logo

ntiate the required apps sooner because of higher visibility.

Easier to notice an app with a triangular logo


Typing: Since the iPhone was the first ‘major’ touch screen phone, a vast majority of the

iPhone users were using a phone with keypad (either a normal layout or a qwerty layout) before

switching. Apple suggests a one-week learning curve to get up to speed, and that may hold true.

However, the most important time in the product's life, from the point of view of Apple, is the

ten or 15 minutes a potential customer spends in the store playing with the product. This poses a

problem because when users type, they end up typing gibberish as they do not know/realize

when a key has been pressed. The keys being too small and close to each other in the “portrait

version” of the keyboard only increases the typing time according to Fitt’s law.

An auditory or tactile feedback would provide the user with instant knowledge that the key has

been ‘pressed’. The iPhone’s inbuilt vibrator has 12 levels of vibration that can be taken

advantage of to provide the required proprioceptive feedback.

Hovering: An inherent problem with all touch screens is that the finger, by definition, must

obscure the object being touched (unless one has a giant screen with giant buttons). Apple has

actually come up with a clever way to display the button pressed while typing: As the user

presses down on the "I" key, for example, a bigger image of the "I" key in a dialog balloon, as in

a comic, appears just above the finger. If users are hovering over the wrong key, they can slide

their finger left or right while still maintaining contact until the desired key appears.

It's standard computer logic to thus use the release

event, rather than the touch event, to trigger the final

action. The problem is, it is not standard human logic.

Many customers will assume that, once they touch, it is

over, that the balloon is only appearing to announce

errors, rather than prevent them.

The iPhone could make good use of a two-level touch-

sensing system. That would allow the user to make

gentle contact with the keyboard to cause the dialog

balloons to appear, then press harder as they confirm

that the correct letter is displayed. This method would be more discoverable than having to figure

out that, to the machine, key presses are actually key releases and would also reduce the existing

Gulf of Execution.


Keyboard Layout: While on the topic of typing and keyboards, a mention of the placement of

different keys is required. Apple did a decent job of virtually building a standard QWERTY

keyboard on the screen. However, in doing so, they have placed

the ‘Backspace’ and ‘Return’ keys beside each other. This

would lead to numerous ‘mistypes’ and errors. Such action

items which cause substantial actions must be clearly spaced

out from the data entry items to provide lesser room for error.

URL Bar: The placement of the ‘Cancel’ button as well as the ‘Erase’ button near the URL bar

is again a placement issue. The two buttons perform different actions but are confusingly placed

next to each other. This creates a Gulf of Evaluation. Not only that, but the is pretty

confusing in terms of function. Users of a desktop web browser could associate it with the “Go”

button on many older browsers because of the similarity in location.

Others could possibly confuse it to mean ‘Stop loading the page’. However, the function of the

button in reality is to clear the text field. This design is pictorial realism gone bad. It violates

Wicken’s 13th Principle of Consistency (in function wrt desktop

browsers). The button is not meaningful, cannot be discriminated

(wrt function) easily from the neighboring ‘Cancel’ button and its

location is very inappropriate. Instead of a circle with a cross within, a better symbol there would

be that of the ‘Backspace’ button seen on the keyboard.

Browser Search function: The ‘lens’ symbol at the top left of the URL bar is again a case of

bad pictorial realism. The symbol is a population stereotype for the zooming function because it

is a magnifying glass. It could also be associated, but with lesser probability, with the search

function – like the typical Sherlock Holmes picture that one would see. Since zooming into a

web page is one of the most common tasks to do once a page has loaded, (even though the well

advertised ‘pinching’ feature may exist), a separate zoom in/out button may be required with a

more precise symbol. Moreover, the location of the button

is confusing. In all desktop applications and websites, the

search feature is located in the top right corner and not the

top left.


iPhone headset button: The iPhone headset does not provide any affordances that a button

exists to control the actions of the phone. The black hole indicates a microphone but there is no

other visual indication – a change in shape/color/texture to indicate a different zone to imply a

button. Unless the user reads the manual, he wouldn’t know of the existence of the button i.e.

there is no knowledge in the world to make the user aware of the button.

Google Maps on iPhone: Though this is a separate application, I am speaking of this here

because it is a standard and very popular application. Users who have used the web browser

version of the Google Maps would be lost when trying to use the iPhone app for the first few

times because of the apparent lack of controls/buttons. The controls are well hidden in a ‘page’

behind the maps so as to provide maximum real estate for the actual map itself. Though this

design is in good intention, I find that it is hard to find this hidden page because this is the only

app with such a behavior. To make the hidden page more apparent, the designers could have

instead made the whole page look ‘flippable’ instead of just a button which shows a ‘flippable

page’. This kind of a design is done in Google Chrome, the web browser where the hidden page

leads the user to a list of themes that can be installed.


Global Buttons: The iPhone being a touch screen phone, by definition, you need to touch the

screen for any action. However, by taking this definition to extremes definitely affects the

usability. There is only one global action button.

Now, to perform even the most basic function of receiving a call,

the user, irrespective of what he is currently doing, has to touch a

specific portion of the screen to answer. At many times, if the

user is performing tasks where his attention cannot be diverted

for long, where even milliseconds would make a difference, such

as driving – that extra time required for locating and pressing the

‘Answer’ button on the screen is precious. Moreover, the user

cannot not look at the screen to do it, even if he is an experienced

user, because there is no feedback once the ‘Answer’ button has

been pressed. Since the phone is already either producing a

sound (ring tone) or vibrating or both to indicate that there is an

incoming call, the iPhone has no real way of providing feedback

to the user that the call has been answered. This alone, I think, is a sufficient argument for

adding at least 2 more global buttons – one each for answering and ending a phone call.

In conclusion, the iPhone user interface though among the best designed ones, still has scope for

improvement. The lack of a proprioceptive feedback for user actions is the most damaging point

against iPhone. If this sort of a feedback is provided and the UI maintains consistency across

apps, it would most certainly be the best smart phone in the world.

References:

1. Donald Norman, “The Design of Everyday Things”

2. Christopher Wickens et.al., “An Introduction to Human Factors Engineering”

3. Bill Westerman, Create with Context, “How people really use the iPhone”,

4. Jasper Van Kuijk, http://www.uselog.com

5. Bruce Tognazzini, http://www.asktog.com