Extra Hands: Initial Prototype

After finishing the initial prototype of the Extra Hands design, it became very clear what we need to focus on, moving forward. Before we explain these points, it is important to know the adjustments we made as we shifted from the sketch model to the initial prototypes.

New Features:

• No more cardboard! Vinyl, also known as “yoga mat fabric” now makes up the frame of our bag. We have used a stretchy Lycra for the side pockets and Nylon for our straps.
• We have metal D rings to hold on our straps.
• We have a magnetic button to open and close the bag.
• Every part of our bag is now sewed together!
• Cardboard inserts have been added to hold the shape of the bag in key places. We have placed cross bars on the front and back panels and a rectangle of cardboard on the bottom.

Pros:

• Now that our fabric is a more feasible type, we can begin to decide if it is the fabric we want to incorporate into our final! Fortunately, it does seem to be a path we want to pursue. Especially because our bag is constructed by sewing, we can more accurately judge exactly what our bag can handle in terms of weight and size.

Cons:

• It is my humble opinion that this bag is hideous in its current state, so I look forward to fixing our design flaws and being able to focus on the aesthetics. As of right now, this involved layering soft faux leather over the Vinyl and inserting silk fabric on the inside.
• The straps definitely have room for improvement. As of right now, they are adjustable, but they do not have buckles to make it easy to take off and on. We hope to change that.