Lars Hottentot

Lars Hottentot

Innovation Designer

Work

My expertise can be divided into three domains.

 

EXPERIENCE DESIGN

The majority of projects have focused on solving existing problems, some times well defined and other times very broad. Projects in this realm include tackling Autism, developing musical instruments for children, and creating an augmented reality information kiosk.

SPECULATIVE DESIGN

A few projects aimed to stimulate debate around certain topics or were meant as statements. Projects include a proposition of using air dispersed drugs to increase the quality of a users sleep and an artistic installation meant to encourage strangers to engage in conversation.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

A number of projects have looked at developing new business opportunities. These projects involved passive and active research, and generally ended with a complete business plan. Projects targeted both new business for existing companies and brand new ventures.

Breathing City

Speculative Design Project

Project Details

Stockholm Startup Weekend

Year : 2016

As part of a startup weekend, I wanted to tackle the problem of air pollution. I brought a team together and we developed an initial concept of an entire anti-air pollution ecosystem. The concept has two components; a product for consumers that protects them from smog, and a proposal for an air-purifying infrastructure within cities.

Initial research showed that in China alone, the average orders per month at just one of the larger mask suppliers totaled more than €280,000, yet 86.4% of these masks are regarded as ineffective against smog. On top of that, users are unaware of when exactly their masks lose their effectiveness, being told to change masks from anywhere between 3 days to 3 weeks. There must be a solution.

THE SMART MASK

The Smart Mask is an intelligent mask that incorporates sensors for PM2.5 (Particulate Matter smaller than 2.5 micrometers) and connects to your smartphone to let you monitor the situation. A sensor on the outside gives you immediate pollution readings, which has been done before. What is new on this device is that there is also a sensor on the inside that will let you know when your filters are becoming ineffective and need replacing. This gives the user reassured protection. When enough people use this mask and share their measurement data, we get a live map of the pollution levels within a city, which can warn people to stay indoors in certain areas or avoid them altogether.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Further research into air pollution in major cities revealed some interesting statistics. In Beijing and Delhi, the PM2.5 readings over a two year period show that the cities are almost never within the safe levels, and more worryingly, have a majority of days that it is unsafe for children and those with respiratory concerns to be outside. In Delhi, nobody should be outside for 4 months out of the year due to hazardous levels. Aside from the public health impact, these so called Smog-Days cost the society billions in lost productivity, which should provide incentive to solve the problem.

 

 

A key factor of smog buildup is the lack of ventilation within a city. It has been shown that when there is a prevailing wind from the right direction, the majority of smog clears out of the city. What if we could develop a citywide system that creates a continuous air flow throughout the city? Of course, this would seem like a daunting task, placing fans on every street corner just for a bit of fresh air. But what if by placing these airflow units in just the key places, we could enable a domino effect throughout the city? This is what we attempted to find out during the 54 hour weekend.

 

 

The first animation shows how the airflow progresses throughout the model city currently. Notice that the triangular neighborhood has no airflow at all and most of the air travels along the main corridors. After placing redirecting walls at just 5 key intersections, we get a modified airflow that penetrates the neighborhood in question, and interestingly enough also subsequent neighborhoods (second animation). This shows that it only takes a few key points to effect a large impact, but what if there isn't any prevailing wind to redirect? In such a case, it may be better to generate it at the key intersections.

 

 

If we can develop installations that can force airflow throughout the city, why not combine such installations with air purifying capabilities too? Combining filtering mechanisms with algae-based carbon sinks to create fresh and clean air within cities, and pushing that air to the places it is needed most. The sensor data from the Smart Masks used around the city will provide up-to-date information on pollution levels, and the airflow infrastructure network will react, creating a better and safer breathing environment for everyone.

 

Branch Out

Speculative Design Project

Project Details

Team : Lars Hottentot, Jasper Schenk

Year : 2013

Social media has changed the way we perceive and interact with the world. A side effect of this new connected world is that we tend to confine ourselves more and more to the social circles we are already involved in. We are sometimes so focused on the social world displayed on our phone screens, that we neglect the social opportunities in our direct environment. In this project we tried to create an object that draws the attention into the real world, away from that glowing screen that everyone holds in their hands.

When finalized, our product would enrich museums and universities all over the world. Its beautifully blinking shapes would attract and activate people to explore its possibilities. The attention will be captured and drawn to the leaf shaped communication devices. Soft whispers and blinking lights will invite to interact and as soon as it is touched it will establish a connection with another tree.

The whispers start getting louder, clearer; parts of sentences can be heard through the mist of random words in all kinds of languages. Suddenly there is a clear voice, a real person. Formalities are exchanged and the wave of questions and answers starts.

One person standing at the university in Eindhoven, the other standing at a university in Norway; both happen to have great interests in the technical developments over the past months. A passionate conversation about something not many people understand is on its way, and a connection that would otherwise never have been made, has been made. For the full report, click here.

Autism in a Box

Experience Design Project

Project Details

Team : Joep Elderman, Tove Elfferich, Lars Hottentot, Danielle Peverelli

Client : De Berkenschutse, School for Special Needs

Year : 2011

 

The focus of this project was on the surroundings of a person with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) instead of on the person themselves. There were two reasons for this; the first being that a person with ASD experiences most of their problems whilst communicating with the 'outside' world, usually with the people at their school or work environment. The second reason is that it is simpler to change the behavior of someone who is not suffering from ASD, as people with ASD have a tough time dealing with change. There is a strong belief that if people are more aware of how it feels to have ASD that they will be more tolerant and understanding. This tolerance will eventually lead to less conflict between people with ASD and their direct surroundings.

“Someone with autism really is like you, just more extreme. 

— Dr. Winnie Dunn, Professor of Neuroscience  

In order to achieve this, a goal was set to create an awareness tool for people who live or work with people who have ASD. Currently, these people are informed of what autism is in very traditional ways, with flyers and powerpoint presentations, for example, but they do not get to feel the effects of having autism, and thus lack a true understanding. The final product gives the user this opportunity. It is a game, divided into six stages. Each of these stages highlights one aspect of autism. The game is designed so it can be played with groups of four people. The mini games symbolize the essential “building blocks” of autism, the most common attributes someone with ASD might have.. All the mini games are located within individual wooden blocks, and all the blocks fit together in a larger container. The complete collection symbolizes the autism experience. For the full report, click here.

Nespresso 2.0

Business Development Project

Project Details

Team : Lars Hottentot, Ilse Maessen, Amy Meevis, Jim Stolk

Year : 2013

 

HOW CAN WE IMPROVE THE CUSTOMER JOURNEY FOR THE NESPRESSO BRAND?

After careful analysis of the existing Nespresso brand and business, we found that there was room for improvement regarding their current recycling program, a source of pride for Nespresso.

As of 2012, Nespresso has partnered with enough recycling agencies to allow for 75% of their sold cups to be recycled properly within range of a customer. However, the actual recycling numbers are much lower, possibly due to lack of incentives beyond a customers "need to be green" feeling. From the companies perspective, they are being eco-friendly by providing the opportunity, but the users are not using it as intended. Finding a way to increase engagement in the recycling initiative whilst deepening the customer relationships could prove a huge opportunity.

 

 

The diagram above shows the current customer journey, where the used cups are just thrown away, whether in the trash or recycling centers. We realized that there needed to be an incentive for the customers to return their used cups beyond the intrinsic reward of being eco-friendly. The best way to do this is through a loyalty reward program, something that ties in perfectly well with the current relationship Nespresso has with its customers. The proposed customer journey gives all users their own loyalty card, which they can scan in the Nespresso store before returning used cups. These then add points to their accounts which can be used to redeem unique rewards or gain discounts in future purchases. This type of system encourages customers to engage with Nespresso more, deepening the relationship and sense of loyalty, which in turn will help keep the competitors at bay.

 

 
 

Besides the obvious boost to the customer relationships, this system would also provide Nespresso with a return source of aluminum (which can be reused) and coffee bio-mass (which can be sold to third parties), which will decrease production costs and provide a secondary source of income.

For the complete report, click here .

 *All images owned by Nespresso
 
 

Showcase ID (SID)

Augmented Reality Project

Project Details

Team : Lars Hottentot

Year : 2013

 

 

When I was still doing my bachelor in Industrial Design at the TU/e, I noticed that all the students worked very hard on projects for a semester only for them to be subsequently lost and discarded, with prototypes salvaged for parts and project reports only ever being read by the coach and assessors, and then lost for all time. The situation had become so bad that some students would spend their entire semester working on something to present at the exhibition, only to have someone mention that a student did the same thing 2 years prior. The lack of a central database of projects was hindering innovation.

 

What if we created a single, permanent exhibition that allows students and visitors alike to see what the department does? To browse through all the projects, watch a video, and even see the product in 3D? Enter SID (Showcase Industrial Design), an interactive augmented reality stand that allows users to browse through all the projects by theme, year, and keyword. Select a project and you'll see a brief description and video on the screen, along with the opportunity to send yourself the full project report. Pick up the tablet and see the product in action in virtual reality.  For the project report, click here.