MIAD Industrial Design Project
Personalized Stim Jewelry
Photoshop on Foam Core 20in x 30in December 2019 Exhibition: Inspired by my nephew and peers, I wanted to create jewelry that could also function as a stimulus to focus to not while avoiding bullying of the attached stigmas. I created stim jewelry that allows the user to experience the capabilities similar to the stimuli in an incognito fashion, all the way down to the clasps, to avoid bullying. |
Empathy ChartSee/ObserveDuring my middle school years, fidget spinners became a big hit amongst people. While many we proud to show off there new "toys", a few of the people that had autism and depended on stim toys to focus, became uncomfortable and started voicing concerns over the use of these things in school. I've also seen from my nephew and little cousins how these toys help them focus, but they are reluctant to use them outside of home.
ThoughtsMy POV: I've personally never used a Stim toy to help me focus, but if it helps people should feel free to use them.
POV 1: "I think they help a lot. having used them before I concentrate better and can do school work." POV 2: " I think they are stupid. how can a toy help you focus?" Hear/StoriesMy nephew: Anything he can get his hands on to fiddle with he does. He lived with me for a while and he would constantly get in trouble at school for behavior issues. Every time we went to pick him up he would have a fidget spin, a fidget cube or a bracelet he made. He would get in trouble because kids would pick on him for playing with these toys and he would argue back.
My cousins: They use stim toys when they are by themselves but are afraid to use them in public because they previously have been made fun of for having them at school or out in public. Story I heard from a person in class: friend uses these toys to concentrate. they are a useful tool and they are a necessity. FeelingsI feel it is unjust for people that need stim toys to concentrate are persecuted and made fun of for having them. Like any other major problem they are discriminated against for being different from what is classified as normal. They shouldn't have to face these issues for seeking help that they are comfortable with. after hearing these stories I was inspired to create/modify something so that they may have these stimulants in public without being judge. I want to clarify that making these stim toys look normal to society is not about hiding the identity of this culture, it is about allowing them a way to feel comfortable in a harsh society if they are not comfortable enough with themselves to fight back.
Inspirations:
Planning
I went through a lot of ideas before I came to my final conclusion. I was looking through stim toys because I didn't know as much about them as I should, when something caught my eye. When I saw the stim jewelry it was hard not to think of my nephew, but I was also appalled by how crude the design was. All they did was slap a chew toy on a string and started selling it. So I started sketching and started playing with the idea of flavored silicone. But as I was looking back at my sketches I realized I only made it for my nephew, which isn't bad because I was inspired to make it for him, but there are also a lot of people that feel similarly to my nephew. He is constantly shunned and taunted for the stim toys and bracelets he has. I wanted to create jewelry that had the same functions as stim toys but the socially acceptable aspect of regular jewelry. Compa
Experimentation: the pictures to the left show my design process. At first I was thinking about inter-changeable charms but I realized I was doing the same think as the others, just putting it on a string. After talking with Chad, I realized that there is more to jewelry than just looking good, there should be a story. So I started thinking of chain, clasp, and center piece ideas. Reflection: I feel I did well on this project. I've thoroughly gone through the design process. I think the pie tin story really sparked my creative thinking for this project. Using old designs to create new, innovative technology is the heart of design, in my opinion. I took my inspiration and made it better. Compare and Contrast
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Here is my first prototype. This one was just testing out different sensations and feelings for the material.
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This is my second prototype. Here I tried to incorporate more pretty designs.
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Idea for final project.
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What is the overall approach (POV) the author (from research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Bibliography
“Stimming Jewelry.” Stimtastic, https://www.stimtastic.co/stim-jewelry.
- I talked to my nephew and classmates to get their perspectives.
- While researching, I found that many stim toys, and stim jewelry have crude designs and serve one purpose.
- My theme is identities and relationships. In this piece specifically, how to create a new, innovative product for people with autism.
- An inference I made was how other people would feel about the product since I only had the feelings of select individuals.
Bibliography
“Stimming Jewelry.” Stimtastic, https://www.stimtastic.co/stim-jewelry.