Michel Alvarez
2005 IDSA Mideast District Student Merit Award Winner
Cleveland Institute of Art
Bubble Bug
The Bubble Bug is a third place award winner that helps reduce most soap bar inefficiencies as well as helps increase shower safety. It does this by encapsulating a bar of soap within a collapsible elastomer cap to shield it from the wasteful shower water and allows the user to get a better grip on the soap without slipping. The product also contains a mesh sponge bottom to help in the exfoliating experience and tucked under are small rubber fingers that help massage the body. Included with the product is a handle for hard to reach areas that also works as a docking station for the small scrubber ultimately having the product live hung from the user’s showerhead.
Nail Gun
The nail gun project was more of a brand language product. This nail gun is specific for the target market of small home remodelers and is task specific for hanging frames in the home. It eliminates all the tools needed to hang frames such as a hammer, tape measure, nails, and laser level and incorporates it all into a one handed tool. The product contains a small LCD screen that lets the user recognize vital options through an easy interface. The product’s organic form and non-aggressive look helps induce the use of a female market, which ultimately can capture a wider spectrum of users.
Laundry Madness
The toy project is called Laundry Madness. It was a Fisher-Price sponsored project that dealt with how to get kids to exercise indoors. The Laundry Madness is targeted to kids from the age of 2 and older. It helps encourage kids to exercise through laundry roll play mixed with basketball fun.
Sneaker Project
The sneaker project was a project that focused on sustainable design. This sneaker design is a two piece structured product that contains a Polyurethane outer body and an internal mesh sock. Both products can live separate from each other therefore allowing for faster recycling time as well as the options to replace individual worn out parts of the shoe. Due to this 2-piece set-up the product now creates a new aftermarket for sneaker design allowing the user to by one body and a multiple amount of socks allowing for an elongating of the sneaker life.
