consultaglobal

In my first blog about Ergofuturo I briefly mentioned ErgoTrans. This concept vehicle was conceived by Albert Vicien and myself with support from Joan Sunol, our mentor. A small model was first displayed by Derbi, a local motorbike manufacturer, at Barcelona’s automotive show in 1991.

Originally, our intent was to explore the potential of a next-generation urban vehicle thinking of Barcelona’s transportation needs and trends. We were also interested in studying the benefits of designing a bike with a low center of gravity and a dynamic equilibrium system (e.g. maneuvering, stability, comfort, energy consumption) . This had to do with the biker’s laid-back posture as well as with the rebalancing the vehicle when taking turns, instead of turning the wheels only, coupled with what we called “computer aided safety and navigation“. My recollection is that our interest in the subject was triggered by articles published on research prototypes in the U.S.

When writing this blog I realized that in 1994 Vandenbrink, a Dutch firm, delivered a Dynamic Vehicle Control (DVC) for MWV, Man Wide Vehicles, by implementing a car type steering wheel and a ‘motorcycle-type’ tilt of the vehicle’s chassis. You can see the Carver One in action in this promotional video:

As far as the context of ErgoTrans, interestingly enough, the following was published by the City of Barcelona’s Mobility Pact, which actually captures the spirit of the project:

“Barcelona’s inhabitants either walk or use public transport when getting around the city. However, when taking into account the total number of journeys made in the city, private vehicles are the most heavily used means of transport, whether because the mobility of a car is required or due to other reasons”.

“Two-wheeled motor-powered vehicles play a significant role in the private vehicle category, to the extent that Barcelona is one of Europe’s most crowded cities in terms of the percentage of motorcycles and mopeds. This mode of transport has become popular as a way of getting around the city because it allows the user to zip through heavy city traffic and readily find parking spaces”.

“The goal is to ensure sustainable mobility both now and in the future, that is, a mobility that is more environment –and people-friendly, that is better planned, more efficient, more energy-conscious“.

“The Mobility Pact [seeks agreements on] a series of measures to guarantee all uses of urban space. To face up to ever increasing mobility and diverse needs, without giving up quality of life, the environment, and free flowing traffic“.

By the way, Albert and I took different professional paths and have not been in touch since I left Barcelona to spend two years in Ireland. After that I relocated to Chicago and have lost track of quite a few friends in the process.

I just did a Google search hoping I would find some info to get back in touch. I came across an article from El Mundo, a Spanish newspaper, praising his design skills at Mazel back in the year 2000.

See the picture of the HS 21, which I believe he designed with Francisco Vilafáñex. If you happen to read my blog and know about Albert’s whereabouts please leave your comment below. Thanks!

Going back to ErgoTrans. I worked on a vision characterized by a technological revolution more geared to the needs of the human being and our planet than to any other consideration. This flier was part of the materials I presented before the international panel selected by Honeywell Europe for the Futurist Competition leading to my Be Brilliant Award in 1993.

My paper highlighted the need for providing vehicles with enough intelligence to adapt to traffic conditions while optimizing energy consumption.

This single-seater was an electrical vehicle. The concept also called for light but robust and recyclable plastic materials. It’s small volume was meant to help improve commuting in Mediterranean cities such as Barcelona.

Note that the proposal made Cosm (a small multimedia computer) become Ergotrans’ brain in a world where objects could wirelessly talk and work with one another, an M2M, machine-to-machine, concept by today’s standards.

This translated into an intelligent and customized vehicle capable of adapting to traffic conditions. Cosm, as an on board computer, would assist with navigation, optimizing routes, safe driving and personal messaging.

To come up with innovative products, designers would require innovative design tools. I thought that the availability of next generation tools would help designers be more creative and better problem solvers. DSPEO was the Spanish acronim I came up with, which in English translated into “Design & Simulation of Ergonomic Products“.

15+ years have gone by and I would say that some of those concepts are still relevant when thinking of today’s interest in the Semantic Web, User-Centered Design, and Immersive Virtual Environments:

“Cognitive hyperbases will approach the links and interactions across different disciplines from an anthropocentrical point of view, in which the human being is reference and measure, giving the designer not only data but also experiences [...] The cognitive hyperbases will be accessible through virtual scenarios: three-dimensional artificial spaces.”

Be Brilliant Collection of Essays 1993. Honeywell Europe.

Additionally, simplicity and the notion of user involvement in the design process would translate into today’s trends such as: User-Led Innovation, Crowdsourcing, User Generated Content, and Adaptive Interfaces:

“The future users will also be able to take part in the same virtual scenarios [...] their cooperation will help modify the virtual object as many times as necessary before it really becomes into existence”.

“There is no future for voluminous manuals and difficult functions that have to be learned; therefore we will improve the objects with adaptable interfaces“.

I’m quite happy to see that what I wrote back then would just require updating some of the language. Having said that, I also thought that DSPEO would provide designers with telepresence and sensors simulating the feedback we get when clasping an object. Most designers enjoy working with various materials and creating models. DSPEO was meant to enable them to “virtually” experience new sensations when cutting, molding and joining a product’s components as if they were doing it with their own hands. Eon Touchlight is a commercially available product which would just be missing this “tactile” aspect:

José de Francisco Lopez Chicago, 23 June 07

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This blog’s Long Tail:

• Project Ergofuturo
• Google & BMW
• Uses, not innovation, drive human technology
• QoE - immersive scenarios and experiential marketing
• Qoe - defining and studying personas
• To (second) live or not to (second) live: that’s the question

References:

• Carver One
• Audi Design Foundation
• Visual futurist
• Design concepts: future cars
• Corporations present at SecondLife

Picture credits:

• Mazel