EMOTIONAL BAGGAGE FOR IDEO

Concept exploration for travel gear

Travel puts people in uncomfortable and often stressful situations. Just getting from one place to another is exhausting and visiting new places makes even simple decisions, such as where to eat, a challenge. Emotional Baggage is a range of conceptual travel products that will let travelers create a personal world in the midst of unfamiliar or inhospitable environments.

The Comfort Zone is a portable sleeping sack. Its pillow has a built-in pocket to secure money and valuables as the traveler sleeps. The foam layers can be inflated to create a more substantial and comfortable pillow. Folded over, it provides additional security for the valuables.

Gnomad is anyone’s roaming reporter. Small enough to fit into a shirt pocket, Gnomad records up to 15 digital stills pressing the top of its head to capture the scene. Gnomad also records short WAV sound files by squeezing its headphones.

SHO is a portable, slightly moist, and reusable hand towel in a translucent container that can be warmed with a lit match. After use, the towel can be rinsed, wrapped around the holder and placed back in the container for reuse.

Jack-O Lantern is a portable light with a timer and alarm that can be used either as a lantern or a flashlight simply by inverting the reflector. At home, Jack-O hangs on a wall as it recharges and serves as ambient lighting, or as a reading light over a bed or chair by flipping its reflector.

The UNO camera is a basic box, inspired by the classic single-slide viewer, with a through-the-lens system that permits the user to look straight through the camera.The frame has a built-in stand and label area for a written note. The UNO camera displays the picture in its own frame.

Project date: 2000