The Solar Sleeve: Power on the Go
First year Katy Yuelapwan created the The Solar Sleeve featuring a top layer with solar cells embedded amongst the curvilinear surface, with a bottom layer with silicone straps, and a button that connects both layers. The button allows the product to conserve energy and for the two parts to nestle into each other when they are not in use. It allows the user to use stored up energy as they are walking through a desert wasteland in 2052. The challenges of this project were fitting functionality within the form that was distinguishable as an iteration. The successes of this project lied within utilizing Keyshot to implement Katy’s vision with materiality in mind.
“The Solar Sleeve is intended to give the user the ability to accumulate energy through a wearable solar panel.”
Design Process
Taking aspects from her preliminary wire sculptures, Katy utilized simple geometry to create a dynamic, balanced piece. After studying how the piece would interact with the body, the prototype evolves to be more comfortable laying in the user’s hand. Taking the dimensional shape into the computer, Katy kept functionality in mind while moving planes on the top and bottom of the form to resemble an armband.
