This project is to improve the lives of people with lack of vision or hearing and carefree characters who are constantly connected to the internet. It is also a backpack that can respond to sports that other backpack can not. It is also distinguished for its durability under adverse conditions.
Global Architecture & Design Awards 2018
First Award | Category: Product Design – Fashion, Lifestyle (Concept)
Architect: Michail Dimou
Team Members: Michail Dimou Manos Maganiaris
Country: Greece
Our inspiration comes from the broken pieces of stone, where the joints form the stone itself and the broken shell of the eggs. The challenge was to use this composition to make something more durable than the other backpacks. It’s also inspired by people who have lack of vision and they want to enjoy the rest of their senses around the world without having to see it with their eyes.
Τhe backpack materials used are elastic fabric and outer lining of Kevlar-49 tiles. The arrangement of the pieces is like puzzle, which means that if all the tiles are in place they conjoin a complete piece of kevlar. This arrangement of the tiles assists in the absorption of a possible impact and prevent from crashes and displacement of the backpack. More specifically, when an impact occurs, its force is divided among the length and the width of the backpack reducing its impact, in a way similar of the tectonic plates of Earth.
Given this tiles’ arrangement, you are able to put eggs, glass and even a computer inside the backpack. If the backpack is deflated, the joints open and create a gap resulting in restraining and restoring the body.
On its functional field, it can be used as a guide for people with lack of vision. To achieve this, it uses 2 sensors that recognize the height and width of the objects and 4 vibrators that alert the wearer.
Objects with a height until 1,20m will be triggered 1 bottom vibrator, for larger height will be triggered bottom and top vibrators. If the width is more than 1 m and the height until 1,20m will be triggered 2 bottom vibrators. And for objects with height larger than 1,20m and width is more than 1m will be triggered 4 vibrators.
The design of the tiles parts in combination with the rubber lining aid in transferring the vibration from the four edges of the backpack to the center.
For the design of the tiles, the method that was used was the triangulation of the surface of the kevlar and then correctly placed on the rubber surface.
Τo sum up, this unique backpack with its “minimal” design that was based on mathematical representation of triangulation and its charming surface, is the ideal product for people who lack of vision (as it helps them enjoy their walk), people who lead an intense life by doing extreme sports (as it ensures the integrity of the objects they are carrying inside the backpack) and those with a carefree character-that enjoy social-media chatting while walking in the streets.
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