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Industrial Design

Rob Sutton

Industrial Design

Final year project

Ventura - A Trekking Pole-Crutch Hybrid [Read more]

Ventura

Ventura is a pair of convertible trekking poles designed to assist a user in the event of a lower-body injury, by converting it into a rugged outdoor crutch. The product is designed to give novice walkers and walkers with long-standing injuries/ mobility issues, a level of insurance when trekking to help boost their confidence to go out and explore.

Ventura - Trekking pole & Crutch Orientations

The product can quickly be transformed quickly from a trekking pole to a crutch. To do so, components are removed, re-orientated and then re-attached in a process that would take under 1 minute to carry out. The key crutch components are all integrated into the product's design, meaning nothing is forgotten when a user sets out on a walk.

Ventura - Exploded

Ventura trekking poles have been designed to keep weight to a minimum. To achieve this, all the materials have been carefully considered ensuring high strength to weight ratio e.g. the use of carbon fibre for the products poles. The products handle features an ergonomic wing to distribute the users' weight evenly across the handle when the device is being used as a crutch. In an upright orientation, the wing allows the users thumb to better grip the product allowing the fingers to have a looser grip on the handle.

Ventura - Prototypes

To assess both form and function, different elements of the product were fabricated and tested. Due to COVID constraints, most of the prototyping was carried out using 3D printers, this was beneficial for making the internal components as an assembly could be quickly printed and tested. Foam and silicone modelling were used to design the products handle, the silicone was useful as it could be moulded to the shape of a hand to generate complex ergonomic forms. The loadbearing internal components were fabricated out of metal to better test their functionality.

Bonsai. - Discrete 10kg-Weight Set

Bonsai. is a discrete 10kg-weight set designed to resemble a plant within a vase. The minimalistic and playful design enables the product to blend seamlessly into a modern-day home interior.

Bonsai. - Disassembly

The product disassembles to reveal; eight weights, two dumbbell bars, four locknuts, a phone holder and the products stem that can be used as a kettlebell. These component pieces allow the user to carry out both dumbbell and kettlebell exercises while also watching media on their phone. The blue colour gradient featured on the weights helps the user quickly re-assemble the body in the correct order.

Bonsai. - Story Board

The product uses a central spine to keep the weights attached to the main body. When the product is unlocked, the spine can be twisted allowing the weights to slide off. This easy-to-use system gives the user has full control over how heavy they make their kettlebell. The dumbbell bars are long enough to house a max of two weights on either side. This means that the user can make a single dumbbell weighing 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6kg's or a pair of dumbbells weighing 2, 3 or 5 Kg's each. Access to both dumbbells and kettlebells also increases the amount of exercises the user is able to carry out.

Rob Sutton

Rob Sutton - I have an affinity with front end of design, using rapid prototyping and thumbnail sketching to quickly generate a multitude of different ideas and solutions.

I have a passion for the early stages of the design process, frequently using rapid prototyping and rough sketches to test and visualise concepts. Reflected in my work is my fascination with mechanisms, I love exploring how touchpoints and functional elements of a product can be simplified to improve its effectiveness and ease of use. Through studying at Loughborough University, I have developed an arsenal of skills and knowledge enabling me to marry my function lead concepts with sleek and stylish design flare.

Final year project

Ventura - A Trekking Pole-Crutch Hybrid

Work Experience

I worked at LEGO Systems A/S in Billund, Denmark as a part of the Student Front End team. My role was to create innovative new play experiences, through rapid concept generation and prototyping, that may eventually be integrated into future LEGO products. In my year at LEGO, I hugely developed my ability to ideate and prototype quickly through a mix of solitary and team-based projects where communication and presentation skills were key. The placement challenged my knowledge and love for simple mechanisms while giving me the opportunity to experience amazing new cultures and experiences.