The core challenge of this DfI (/Medisign) master graduation thesis project was to improve the workflow of ambulance staff. The project was conducted for and within Philips Design in Eindhoven, where I currently work as a Service Designer. The design process was characterized by a strong focus on analysis, and in particular on user research, which included intense inquiry activities such as direct observation of ambulance shifts. The project resulted in the conceptualization of the LiveSync, a product aimed at facilitating the daily workflow of ambulance staff by enabling hands-free interactions. The final prototype was tested (and very much liked!) by real ambulance paramedics and drivers. After the graduation presentation, interest came from quite a few ambulance centers to develop the project further. The projects was graded a 9.5 and awarded a cum laude. Currently, a proposal to transform the LiveSync into a real product is being taken into consideration at Philips.

This research and development project was meant to explore these technological and societal drivers and formulate a 2025 future vision where borders between digital and physical become virtually invisible. The report proposes how a simple product, the Crescent Alpha, could mark the first step towards a healthier future. One where we have a healthier relationship with our digital devices and solve the need for connection in our fast paced and asynchronous world. The vision behind Crescent is to develop an omnipresent personal interface that enables us to interact with our digital space in a natural way. This vision is then embodied through rapid prototyping and several interactions with users. This iterative process made it possible to go from a solution on paper to a physical well founded basic concept.

Currently, Crescent Alpha (the company) is focusing on the medical market, developing cameras for teaching surgeons to capture and share their surgeries with students.”