Coffeemaker opportunity
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Contents |
Executive Summary
Market Research and Observations
For this stage of our design project, we conducted four different types of market research and observations including Anthropological Study Observation, Use Study Observation, Expert Interview, and Product Review. Besides, we also posted an Online Survey which served as a back up market research study. The major observations, inspections and conclusions from each study are listed by section below.
Anthropological Study Observations
For this approach of market research, we observed faculties, staffs and students around campus (academic buildings and student housings) to make coffee with coffeemakers located in public kitchens or snack bars. In particular, we did a 2-hour observation around noon and a 2-hour in the afternoon on the sixth floor in the Gates and Hillman Center. In addition, we did a 1-hour observation at the Stever House during an early morning. The key observations are listed underneath.
(1) People (mostly students and professors) are easily distracted when using the coffeemaker. They are likely to talk to someone other the phone or around, reading and playing with tablets which could possibly cause safety issues.
(2) Oftentimes when there might be a problem with the coffeemaker (or there might not be, like slower dripping of coffee), people tend to just punch around the body of the coffeemaker. This could be harmful for both the users and the coffeemaker.
(3) There were a few instances when people are in a hurry of doing something else, they tend to forget to put the coffee container back into place and leave the coffeemaker on which could result in overheating problem or damage to the heater.
(4) A coffeemaker placed in a public kitchen could have a shorter lifetime due to lack of cleaning and proper maintenance.
(5) It is sometimes the case that a full container of coffee would be wasted as the user might want to remake some hot coffee and dump the cold one made by the previous user. This could be a majority factor of wasting all types of resources.
(6) Another minor observation concerned with coffee heating is that some people might want to reheat their coffee with their own coffee mug instead of making a new set of coffee all over again. Oftentime they would just use the microwave. Things could be done on the coffeemaker so that it could possess a feature of reheating a small cup of coffee.
Use Study Observation
Expert Interview
Product Review
Sketches and Descriptions of Design Concepts
Comparison with Competitor Products
Pugh Chart
Gantt Chart for Team Plan
Summary
Team Member Roles
Lucas Neffa -
Andrew Vickory -
Nick Ciesielski -
Yang Wen -
Kaifu Wang -
Appendix
100 Brainstorming Ideas
1. Centrifuge mixing and filtering
2. Automatic on/off switch
3. Coffeemaker with solar cell panel
4. Infrared heating and keeping warm
5. Coffeemaker with electronic gadgets dock
6. Manufactured with recycled materials
7. Distinguish the chamber with color which gives better instruction for user to know where to put coffee beans and where to pour water
8. A handle that is able to control the dripping lever or the valve
9. Heat exchanger rapid cooling
10. Container dock that is compatible with multiple container
11. One button control compact design
12. Unbreakable material for coffee container
13. Change the coffeemaker into a multi-drinks maker
14. Portable coffeemaker with rechargeable battery
15. Exposed major components so that potential problems can be easily identified and fixed
16. A side heating dock to reheat just a cup of coffee
17. A rotating disk which enables the coffeemaker to fill multiple cups of coffee at a time
18. A small digital screen that can replace the daily reminder sticker on the fridge
19. A coffeemaker with multiple chamber/cylinder and coffee outlet in the case when there are a group people who prefer different types of coffee
20. Coffeemaker with a coffee mug hanger on the side
21. A convertible coffeemaker
22. Attach a mechanism on top which could utilize the water vapor coming out
23. An overheating/dry heating signal sound or light
24. Some kind of nozzle that maximize the spread of the smell of coffee as air freshener
25. Automate coffee press
26. Coffee maker to handle making both hot and cold coffee
27. Coffee maker with a supersonic wave cleaner
28. Coffee maker a rotating container which enables better mixing
29. A programmable clock to set on/off time
30. Incorporate two chambers each for making and containing hot and cold coffee.
31. Coffeemaker with a hinge at the top half
32. Soundproofing material to reduce the noise
33. Removable filter and ground coffee container (easy to clean)
34. Adjustable coffee potency
35. Thermal insulation container to keep the coffee warm for longer time
36. Rechargeable battery for travel use
36. Sandglass-shape coffeemaker
37. Coffeemaker built on wall
38. Handhold coffeemaker combining with a cup
39. Clear shell with colorful backlit to indicate on/off or temperature status
40. Sphere coffeemaker with three-layer where water in the outmost layer being boiled and vapor being pressured into the mid layer which contains the ground coffee.
41. Coffeemaker with a small refrigerator to keep ice
42. Built-in thermometer & hygrometer etc.
43. Automatically lock the lid during process of boiling water & making coffee
44. Pour over method applied to dripping of hot water over grounds
45. Temperature regulation for water being dripped over grounds
46. Pump air through hot water with grounds to mix into water
47. Cooker for taking the used ground coffee and use for baking goods
48. Ink jet technology used to print water over ground coffee and maximize temperature efficiency
49. Mobile app to regulate coffee being turned on or off and regulated
50. Freshness meter displays last time coffee was brewed Card reader on coffee maker to secure identity of person making coffee
51. Soda gun machine but for dispensing coffee
Super small portable coffee maker made for cars / truckers Bring hot water down from the sides of the cone instead of middle Series of holes leading to one drip Cream foam printer for printing designs Centrifuge with grounding coffee mechanism to prepare grounds while mixing with water High pressure mist sprayer shaped as a cone / triangle that rotates to reach all radii Coffee paper that gets printed out Slanted surface with extruded fin walls to run hot water over from the top Rectangular slope with ribs and compacting wall to hold ground coffee together and flat Hydroclone to separate ground coffee from hot water Filter straw that sucks up filtered coffee from hot water and ground coffee Perpetual coffee maker Coffee bags similar to tea bags Laser chromatography to detect quality of brewed coffee USB port powered coffee maker Different volume bins to level amount of coffee to water ratio Coffee spray personal use Cyphen water out from ground coffee Microwave the water, have a small microwave system Soundwaves to break up water tension and get water to run through without needed pressure Shifting platform to move apart ground coffee from hot water Membrane filtration system Temperature neutral pressure brewer Honeycomb surface pattern to hold small pockets of ground coffee to run water through Vacuum brewing Rain powered coffee maker Blood regulated coffee maker that detects caffeine levels and goals Coffee maker that detects if you are awake before brewing at a set schedule Run the coffee through hot water as opposed to hot water running through coffee Cars can run on ground coffee byproduct, so use ground coffee byproduct to heat water Wine opener handles to push down and apply pressure on hot water Have water basin on top of ground coffee to provide natural flow through gravity Coffee breathalyzer 3-in-1 roaster, grinder, coffeemaker Double water tank so that water doesn’t need to be heated between po Attach an electric shaker (like one of those making bubble teas) to the coffeemaker Place an ice chamber at the top of the coffeemaker so that the steam could be used to melt the ice to cool the coffee Coffee maker that snap freezes espresso so that coffee can’t break down. frozen coffee can then be added to a glass of water for iced americano. Facial recognition attached to coffee maker that adjusts the concentration of the coffee based on identity. Heating pot / container with automatic cup filler Apply dispenser that works when cup is pushed against it Built in coffee reservoir with water cooler-style spigot Vacuum sealed coffee bean reservoir Turkish coffee maker mechanism that allows coffee to be dropped directly into the water and isolates the coffee from the water when correct concentration has been reached. Stove powered coffee maker Coffee recirculation system Turkish coffee pot that mixes beans and water using bubbles
References
1. Dieter, George E., and Linda C. Schmidt. Engineering Design. 5th Edition. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2012. Print.
2. Hamilton Beach 12-Cup Coffee Maker, n.d. photograph, viewed 28 January 2014, <http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002EJF8TI/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1>
