2021 Master of Design and Master of Interactive Media

2021 graduating students: Master of Design and Master of Interactive Media

Abby Li

Master of Design

LIFO

Bipolar Disorder ( BD ) is a globally prevalent mental illness featured with extreme mood and energy swings between mania and depression episodes. If not diagnosed and treated in time, BD tends to progress into severe conditions where rapid cycling, long-lasting episodes and neurological damages occur.

Self-tracking on mood and behaviour change, as the core of the Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT) for BD , has been widely adapted into mobile Apps designed for BD . However, there has long been an adherence and engagement issue with this treatment among people with BD , which can be contributed to inefficient peer support, internalised stigma, and biased or unsupportive self-tracking information.

This practice-based research identified BD users' self-identity and stigma issue as the main motif of the UX design, and proposed ‘Lifo’ - an AI based self-monitoring and peer community App. Concept-wise, ‘Lifo’ was inspired by the idea of reflective emotional design, manifested through the AI-aided peer support function. ‘Lifo’ also proposed to develop a global database of mood and behaviour and provide a less biased detection for relapses through deep learning both users' subjective data (self-reported information) and objective information including impulsive behaviour, voice biomarker, interaction with phone and diet change, etc.

Through the design practice, ‘Lifo’ concept was developed into an interactive prototype with corresponding functions. However, further user-participatory design session is needed to refine the information architecture and user flow of the prototype, and a longitudinal study is needed to assess its ability to improve the BD illness condition.

Angus Lee

Master of Design

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With globalization and fast-paced modern society, traditional buildings are disappearing in Taiwan over the years for the purpose of urbanization. While the popular trend of modern architecture and urbanization brings many benefits and profits to the economy, it results in the removal of traditional buildings and heritage in Taiwan. This is a serious issue as historical houses and heritage not only represent the identity of Taiwanese residents but also provide historical and aesthetic value. It is important to preserve these buildings for the future generation.

The main objective of this project is to raise awareness of preserve traditional buildings and bring together professionals to further amongst the target audience to promote traditional features. The primary research of this project used a mixed method of online surveys and select interviews of key professionals to explore the importance of heritage and traditional buildings, the architecture industry and the work of traditional skills.

The online platform, Design Taiwan, is a digital platform that aims to raise awareness of Taiwanese, designers and a wider community to preserve traditional features and heritage in Taiwan. One of the aims of this platform is to promote the fusion of traditional features and contemporary design in Taiwan and preserve Taiwanese features.

Keywords: Traditional buildings, Heritage, Fusion, Taiwan, Digital platform, demolish, preserve.

Harish Aravind Bakthavatchalam

Master of Interactive Media

View video: Motion sensing and particle movement

The ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic has forced people to be isolated and far away from their family and friends. With digital devices being the only way to effectively communicate and contact, this pandemic stands to raise and re-emphasize the question about the effectiveness of our current digital communication. The aspect of intimacy in the current digital communication systems seems yet to be explored, and this worldwide pandemic is showing us the importance of rethinking the rules of conventional digital communication.

Telepresence holds the potential to change the world for the better through experiential communication that offers physical feedback, much like in-person meetings. Portal is an art installation prototype that was developed in an attempt to address this gap. Investigating the history of video communication and currently available technology with physical feedback features has given insight into how these features can be combined to create a novel telepresence experience. The participants will experience haptic feedback, reactive motion and audio feedback which adds a layer of immersion and helps feel the intimacy that is not available in conventional modes of communication. This practice-led research aims to stand as an example of the potential experiential communication holds.

Keywords: virtual reality, augmented reality, extended reality, experiential communication, physical feedback, haptic feedback, force feedback, visual feedback, audio feedback, reactive feedback.

Jack Nicholson

Master of Design

Finding employment as a design graduate and junior design can be extremely difficult and can result in junior designers transition industries or unable to find meaningful employment. My dissertation has covered what is causing junior designers to struggle; it discusses specialization and looks into what makes a junior designer employable. This has been done by examining a wide range of existing research in design and similar fields such as marketing and industrial design and doing a comprehensive analysis of several online education platforms.

Generally is the solution to that problem. Generally will help junior designers find employment by performing two primary functions. Generally will serve as a tool to empower and inform junior designers of currently in-demand skills and explain them. Generally will also help to promote and display the experience of graduate designers who take our work-ready program. All they need to do is sign up and submit their portfolio; then they will be given a project; if the designer is successful, they will be featured by Generally as a work-ready graduate along with their body of work and contact info. This solution aids in the idea of overcoming the work experience needed to enter the workforce by getting designers to display practical skills.

Jack was awarded a Griffith Award for Academic Excellence – 2020

Jay Jogi

Master of Design

PROMPT : Tracking Simplified

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A significant portion of the world's food is wasted, with serious environmental consequences. Reducing food waste is a crucial sustainability challenge because household food waste is a global issue that is difficult and complex to address due to consumer behavior and habits. Ordering, buying, storing, cooking, dining, reusing, and other daily household routines and activities can be used as preventive measures by converting them into food-appreciating activities to reduce waste.

The study takes a practice-based approach to developing a sustainable waste management regime. To collect primary data for the study, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used. It collected information about consumer purchasing and consumption patterns, food waste at home, and food waste management techniques using surveys, semi-structured interviews, and design ethnography. The research findings prompted the creation of a design solution, which was then tested among households to gain a better understanding of the solution's impact on the consumer's daily life.

'Prompt,' a smart food tracking device was designed as an outcome of the research for household usage. Prompt is a one-of-a-kind intelligent food waste prevention solution that challenges the traditional approach to food storage. This design allows users to judge their own actions, which increases the likelihood of behavior change.

Keywords: food waste management, consumer behaviour, household, food waste prevention, environmental impact, food storing, behaviour change.

Jay was awarded a Griffith Award for Academic Excellence – 2020

View video: Prompt product launch

K Singh

Master of Design

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The problem is about parental leave amongst the fathers. Due to social and cultural barriers they do not take it and some of them are even unaware of such leave.

The objective of this research is to create awareness amongst them with the help of an application, which can connect fathers of Australia on one platform and provide them resources and information.

View video: AAD Prototype

Ke Yin

Master of Interactive Media

A profile of AR artwork aiming to help the city become a better place to live.

View video demonstration

Sue Than

Master of Design

The situation has been continuing with no evidence that it will stop, when the virus has spread worldwide, affecting the daily life of many people. Some individuals have difficulty in adapting in the 'new normal' period or in finding suitable activities that fit the restriction rules.

My work is about indoor and outdoor activities during the pandemic called COVID-19, contained in the catalogue. The activities in 'Adventuring in the Period of Lockdown' include some examples in both kinds with some explanation of how they work in the period, along with the advantages and disadvantages of them. Not only that, 'Adventuring in the Period of Lockdown' includes the brief information about the circumstances of this pandemic as well as a few examples of personal experience.

'Adventuring in the Period of Lockdown' uses the graphic design approach, with the clean structure in organizing the texts, the icons and the photos to make the readers feel attracted to the point they want to continue reading.

Keywords: pandemic, restriction, indoor, outdoor, activities, advantages, disadvantages, catalogue.

Yu Zhang

Master of Interactive Media

Through the combination of posters and augmented reality technology, the project aims to study the possible new forms of experience and experience that augmented reality brings to the field of graphic design. The theme of the project is traditional Chinese festivals, and the interactive aspect is also related to the customs of each festival, which also explores the contribution to the spread of culture. It mainly tells about seven different traditional Chinese festivals, namely Spring Festival, Lantern Festival, Ching Ming Festival, Qixi Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Double Ninth Festival and Laba Festival.

This will be a series of interactive posters with an interactive mode and a sense of participation. Each poster interaction will be related to the traditional customs of the festival, including ordinary viewing modes and simple game interaction modes. The project may be widely used in future education or advertising.