Deforme’, a design that revolves around making water drinking a part of the routine rather than considering it as an occasional or optional activity. As we are moving towards a more digital age, our lives are getting busier, but our problems stay the same. Health problems like Fatigue, kidney issues, and poor skin health are because of inadequate water intake. There are products designed for adults but children are more prone to dehydration. As the person gets older, it becomes harder to induce a habit; therefore, childhood is a critical period. It is necessary to develop a habit in order to avoid dehydration issues. Via different research techniques (surveys, interviews, and observation) it was deduced that habit development at the age of 5-9 can help children have sufficient water intake. Behavior change can drastically affect their lifestyle whilst eliminating the mother’s responsibility to teach her child.
As the research was conducted in Pakistan, there was no initial survey data based on water intake in adults and children. At first, an initial survey was conducted with different age groups to collect collective data on whether adults face dehydration problems and information on their water intake. The survey was conducted with 207 individuals (M=123, F=84). The form was circulated through social media. The result from the survey shows that about 67.4% of people didn’t drink 8 glasses, the minimum amount required daily. About 45.4% indicated that they just forget about drinking water. The individuals were also asked about their hydration levels. 110 individuals rated their hydration level as 5 or less. The results indicate that the individuals agree that they are dehydrated and also face problems related to it. Another question was asked regarding the reason behind not drinking water regularly.
The design is based on the “nudge technique” of getting deformed to make the child drink water. In product design and behavioral psychology, nudge design entails making minor adjustments to the environment to sway people’s behavior in the direction of a desired result. The user is not forced to do any certain action but based on their own choice due to external or internal factors. Based on the findings, I designed an interactive bottle that engages the child, inducing the habit of drinking water and calculating daily water intake. The bottle’s ability to change its form when the child forgets to drink water will encourage regular water consumption. It would help the youngster develop a good habit of staying hydrated through the repetition of this certain cue. The bottle’s deformation creates a tactile and visual cue that can serve as a gentle reminder to the youngster to drink water, making it simpler for them to develop positive behavior. The analysis reflected; sufficient water intake can eliminate all the major problems related to dehydration escalating faster. Behavior change can majorly affect the overall lifestyle and lead us towards a better living.
The bottle incorporates an innovative feature of deformation that occurs gradually within an hour, reminding the child to drink water. Additionally, a red light indicator activates after an hour alongside the deformation to provide a visual cue for the child. When the child drinks water, the bottle returns to its original shape within seconds based on the weight change. Similarly, when the bottle becomes empty and the child forgets to refill it the deformation occurs again, serving as a reminder to refill the bottle with water. The design poster has been selected for display during the being held in Tokyo (Japan) on 27 October 2023 by the World Design Organization.
The future work will involve rigorous user testing to continuously refine the product’s design and enhance user experience. This product’s broader vision can be seen as the reduction in health-related issues and the idea of habit development playing an important role in shaping the community. The commercialization of this product marks a new era in health tech, paving the way for transformative solutions to address global health challenges. Industry backing is essential to realize this vision, fostering a healthier, more hydrated future for everyone.
Video Demonstration of Deform’ Bottle Working Mechanism
The author is a graduate of Department of Industrial Design, Supervised By Dr. Raja Mubashar Karim, at School of Arts Design and Architecture, National University of Sciences and Technology. Dr. Mubashar can be reached at mubashir.karim@sada.nust.edu.pk.
