Laptop Buddy Stand Prototype
Research and Ideation: Sketching
The prototyping technique I used to make my laptop stand was laser cutting. I began my design process by researching the structural components of current laptop stands and sketching out different patterns and shapes.
Prototyping: Iteration 1
My goal was to mimic an auto adjustable stand to demonstrate the use of my prototype. I wanted to build something that could be easily transported dissembled and quickly reassembled for convenience. and Once I had a good idea of the design requirements, I made my Illustrator file with the same dimensions as my sketches:
The first iteration of my laptop stand consisted of a 14 by 11 inch top board, surrounded by 3 rectangular supports.
Testing and Feedback
To evaluate my stand, I brought my first prototype to class for critique. Here is a summary of the feedback I received from my peers:
Worked well:
Size works well for portability (fits in most bags)
Able to hold the weight of most standard size laptops (tested with surface book and mac)
Can be used to demonstrate "automatic" adjusting by sliding back piece
Needs Improvement:
Difficult to assemble without instructions- need to make design more intuitive
Too many pieces stand alone pieces
Stand needs more balance to feel secure
Top pieces of front supports can get in the way of while people are typing
Current angle forces laptop to be angled downwards, should be more eye level
Adjustability of stand is not obvious
Prototyping: Iteration 2
Updated Illustrator File
Based on the feedback I received, I made changes to my original design to make my design more ergonomic and better align with my design goals. Here are the changes I made to create the second iteration of my stand:
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Created a base with 4 channels for support to secure adjustable components in place
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Combined bottom two pieces into one long piece to create extra support and a signifier to help the user immediately understand how to assemble the stand
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Precisely measured the depth of the wood I used to cut to more accurately align all the pieces together
Here is how the second iteration of my stand turned out:
Testing and Feedback
I brought the second iteration of my prototype to critique sessions again to get feedback on my updated design. Here is a summary of the feedback I received:
Worked well:
Base secures all pieces together well
Adjustability is more obvious and easy to use
Needs Improvement:
Angle of stand is still not elevated enough
Top pieces of front support bar should be shorter
Less pieces made assembly more intuitive
Weight distribution is off
Prototyping: Final Iteration
After 2 iterations of my laptop stand, it was time to create the final version of the prototype I would use for the app component to create the full smart system. The purpose of the Laptop Buddy system is to give users a customizable experience for their work from home environments. My stand needed to be adjustable, easy to use and compact enough to easily take on the go when switching work environments. Ideally, my stand would be a device that adjusts itself through the push of a button or a slider. I did not have the capacity to physically recreate an automatic adjuster for this project, so I had to find a creative way to convey that in my design. Considering all of this and feedback I had received on my stand so far, these are the changes I made for my final iteration:
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Refined back support allow adjustable inserts. Created additional inserts for support:
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Refined top piece to minimize spacing. This better distributed weight and allowed for a more comfortable experience while typing on a laptop because it created a space to rest hands.
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Shortened length of bottom bar support to add stability and make sure the support did not get in the way when people rested their hands to type. Here are all the pieces of the final prototype:
Assembled Together:
