The team that created the Abom no-fog goggle learned a great deal doing the Abom 1 and the Abom Heet goggle, Not only did they learn the ways to remove water vapor efficiently, they also learned that users would prefer to do nothing but enjoy a clear field of view. Of course, the best product is no product and that’s how the new Tempest gets the job done. Users only need to make sure their goggle is charged and the sensor driven goggle auto-magically eliminates the hint of fogging.
One feature that’s a major improvement is the lens. It’s attached magnetically and it separates from its internal heated lens. This makes the exterior tinted lens much less costly. Users can now get the tinted lenses they need for different conditions at a more reasonable price, Sure, maybe not a huge consideration for this demographic , but everyone appreciates high value,
If you know the Abom One and Abom Heet goggle you will notice the lens of the Tempest is cylindrical as opposed to spherical or toroidal. This decision was based on the industry trend that currently favors cylindrical lenses. Over time , the pendulum may certainly swing back and this chassis deign can certainly accommodate this without needing a total redesign,
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CAT-TASTROPHE
Mem’s Leg is the tribute to a wonderful calico cat, Mem, who got into a tussle with an off leash Pitbull. Mem lost the fight and her rear leg after chewing through the stitches that had put her leg back on. While sounding tragic, Mem moved forward as a very loved and very happy 3 legged cat. She probably received more attention this way than she ever did prior.
The product, Mem’s Leg, is a fun plush super sized leg that doubles as a satchel, ready to carry your phone, keys and wallet. The interior is lined with flannel, reminiscent of that old sleeping bag your parents had as kids ( or if you’re old, maybe it was your sleeping bag). Of course, Mem’s Leg is part of the Furillaverse.
Sharp Attack!
As part of a large re imagining of clip knives, that is, a redesign of the trusty (good name) pocket knife, FUSE also did the RIPSTOP. The RIPSTOP is this very detailed product with its skeletal design, over sized pivot surround and subtle grip scallops that mirror the blade’s serrations. The blade features a big Orca Eye assist, and it looks like a predator (especially the with the serrated version’s teeth) when open. Some may suggest it’s over designed, but given its price point and the zeitgeist at the time, really it’s a nice composition. Light, shadow, fasteners and openings within the the body work together. This turned out to be a very popular model.
We had suggested names like GASH MAKER, STABBY McSTABBER, GUTTER, SORRY MOM! and STEVE CARVEY, but none of these won. RIPSTOP is kind of a funny name given a knife is the opposite of a rip stopper, it’s really a RIP-GO-ER
Lifesaver
The SKWRL Bio Pod is the industrial version of the Marwall super insulated twin walled stainless steel storage pod. This version powder coats the exterior of the stainless steel and is targeted for food storage and beyond.
The pod shown features a double wall Triton lid that sandwiches a silicone gasket. This gasket provides a leak-proof seal. This configuration includes eating utensils, though other tools may be employed. An organ recovery version was recently deployed in eastern Europe with scalpels, forceps and suturing tools.
This insulated container can be used wherever temperature maintenance is required. The pod can be used for the transport of food, living tissue, medicines, plant life, pathogens and any temperature sensitive materials.
STEW is a place for ideas, drawings, models, oddities, musings, national emergencies* and more. These are not necessarily associated with a destiny of commercialization. They, hopefully, have a smidge of creativity
SPEAK- A MY LANGUAGE
Imagine you’re in high school and the new super cute Brazilian student arrives in your class and they barely speak English. With GWIJ on your phone you can start communicating with them immediately. You set your primary language to English (you’re in the USA) and then make your secondary language Portuguese. Start babbling, I mean, texting away, and you’ll be easily understood ( remember, don’t come on too strong, or they’ll think you’re a weirdo).
GWIJ is a translating and texting App that FUSE helped design. We did the name, the identity and key frame design, even the double bubble text holder! This app is just like your native IOS messaging app, but allows you to set your primary language and a secondary language that instantly translates your primary language. You can then send either your primary or secondary language to whomever you’re texting with. The best part is you can see both your primary and secondary languages in the double bubble text box.
With GWIJ, you can see the Portuguese in real time as you type your words of love, I mean, your words of your native language. Then, if you want to hear what the pronunciation is, you can hit the speaker icon in the double bubble and the GWIJ Translator Robot (she looks like Nicole Kidman) will speak what you’ve written out loud. This means you can practice saying clever things like, “Wow, I ‘d like to eat this bad cafeteria pizza off your beautiful neck”. OK, don’t say that, you barely know this person. Ask them something like, “do you have a pet Tapir back home in Brazil?” And, in Portuguese: “Voce tern uma anta de estinacaao no Brasil?”
Get GWIJ in the Apple App store now!
Walker, Texas Ranger
A successful real estate tycoon came to FUSE to design a better cane. He had pals that were getting to that age and he disliked the choices they had for this additional stability. Our benefactor wanted something that did not say “disabled or feeble”. Something that was more akin to a piece of sports equipment. He and we wanted something its owners would love and rely on like a favorite tool or tennis racquet. We know the best products are not just trophies, but also tools.
FUSE understood the styling problem but certainly wanted to do more by adding functional attributes to the product. For example can it stand up on its own, i.e. self-balance? Provide a better smoother gait? Offer greater mechanical advantage? Be lightweight and not cost a fortune?
FUSE generated several concepts and here below is the Blade Runner concept that we and a focus group of users liked the most.
The Blade Runner (or Riddler?) can balance on its foot, provides shock absorption, adjust for height, collapse for storage and provide a better ride due to its curved foot. This concept is inexpensive to manufacture with a telescopic aluminum shaft and injection molded handle and foot structure. A rubber outsole grips the ground and its design is easy to clean.
CREAM BELIEVER
Many people, especially women, are very concerned about their skin’s appearance and they have a very specific regimen for how to clean and care for their faces. These regimens can be very individualized as all of our faces have different requirements whether due to our genetics, diet and environment we live in.
The Sonatap founder recognized this and wanted to create a single dispenser that would have cartridges that could be filled with a person’s unique regimen’s content. This more convenient device would do away with all the disparate containers and put them in one hand held device. The cap contains make-up removing wipes. This product would be perfect for traveling.
Our solution was to use pie shaped airless containers. These dispenser/containers are common in the cosmetic industry and refillable. The ergonomic problem becomes the greater the number of containers, the greater the diameter.
The very tight mechanical constraints had us start the design process by directly modeling the individual components and then configuring them. We had to balance using an existing pump geometry with the minimal viable container volume with the maximum number of vials. Our client wanted as many vials per device as possible. Again, too many vials and the product is un-holdable due to its large diameter. Creating a new pump geometry was out of the question given the development costs and minimum order quantities required to get the pump guts at reasonable price
Our Revolver concept narrowed the diameter and used a greater diameter for the orbiting mechanism. This allows the user to spin the dispensing orifice around the indexed containers. Clear housings for the individual containers can make identification of each fluid that much easier
BE EVEN MORE SPLATTERPROOF
Orp Industries has always talked about building a running version of their innovative bike horn/ light product, and finally with our help, they’ve done it.
The Runners Orp or “Rorp” is for runners, walkers, hikers and boarders of all types. The big idea, of course, is to make pedestrians more visible by being more hearable, but the Rorp can do more. Runners and walkers who use nights or dark early mornings to run and walk not only have a beacon to be seen but also a very loud horn to let any would be attackers know their attention is unwanted, and if that’s not enough, an accessory cranulator (machined aluminum) is available to cause more serious damage.
The Rorp has a gumby-like malleable metal armature in its body so it holds on to you, works for small and large hand sizes and features a dual tone horn, just like the bike Orp, and the actuator is always under thumb. The Rorp is symmetrical so works on either hand. Multiple light modes including highly visible green LEDs. The LEDs fire every time either horn is fired. Newest versions incorporate a 180 degree Chip On Board (COB_ LED array. This new LED offers better visibility.
FACE – ON
FUSE was contacted by a team of seasoned product marketing professionals at the onset of the pandemic. They wanted help designing a face mask for professionals working the front line in health care, teaching and emergency services.The team had identified that seeing the facial expression of these first responders and front liners would be valuable to reinstate the calm and confidence these pros always want to communicate to the people they’re helping. The team was also obsessed with minimizing the waste associated with disposable masks. While the filters are not washable, they are recyclable.
To achieve the crystal clarity, the mask would need to be silicone injection molded. This lower durometer material and process also allowed for the undercuts we needed for a clever face seal and the nesting of the replaceable filters cartridges.
Keen viewers will recognize the Iron Man inspiration in the chin area of the mask. Actually, what we were doing was reinforcing the chin to keep it stiffer so we could achieve greater elasticity in the jaw for mouth opening and talking while still maintaining a good seal to the face.