DSU Group 10
Hug a Sloth
“Hug a Sloth” is the result of the project “Designing for Specific Users” in the bachelor program of Industrial Design Engineering at the University of Twente.
The product was made based on the specific needs of a designated case owner, a woman in her 3rd trimester of pregnancy.
This website summarises the entire design process: research, co-design sessions, the concept with its use scenarios and, ultimately, the “real life” prototype.
Design process
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Research
An overview of all the preliminary research to get acquainted with the case owner’s specific situation is presented in this section.
Dissecting each stage from getting to know the participant through interviews, to literary research on pregnancy and home assignments aimed at identifying the pain and gains of the case owner.
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Co-design
Two main co-design sessions were carried out together with the participant to create the vision for the final product.
The case owner was heavily involved in each co-design phase, from the first brainstorming session to narrowing down concept directions to final concept choice and evaluation.
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Prototyping
To evaluate the usability of the design, three prototypes were made.
The first “flimsy” prototype focuses on getting the right measurements, patterns as well as sizing. The second prototype is a medium-level one, adding the stuffing to asses the comfort of the pouch and its wearability, as well as providing a solid base for the final high-fidelity model crafted with higher quality fabrics.
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Final concept
“Hug a Sloth” is a sloth-shaped pouch that keeps a newborn secured to the mother’s chest, helping the case owner relax indoors, either alone or with her newborn, while keeping her hands free to drink tea, use digital devices, read a book, you name it!
Find out more about the individual stages, from detailing, to prototyping, to user feedback, involved in making the product come to life.
Module 7 “Design for Specific Users”
University of Twente, 2024
Project coordinator: Francesca Toso
Project tutor: Asli Günay
Ilaria Vonella
Polina Nemtyreva
Marten Sten Rahuoja
Polina Djugajeva
Wes Wikkerink
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Bachelor of Industrial Design Engineering