Product Designer

If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh?

Don't be shy, give me a buzz........

I am very proud of having a diligently cheeky attitude towards my life and work. As a designer I like to push boundaries and approach tricky situations with a rigorous sense of humour, I thrive on energetic and diverse environments and I love a good challenge. I have a tenacious attitude towards my interest in medical design, current social values and the idea that a design process should not be mechanical, but rather an organic and thorough development of ideas. I also strongly believe in human centred design built on foundations of augmentation and empathy, and that the interaction between people and products and how you connect with them through your work is a source of great importance. For me design in all its forms, retains no dividing lines or constrictions and is devoid of linearity. I have discovered, through an extensive amount of trial and error, that I am openly prepared to be proven wrong, because I believe that through mistakes, truly fresh creativity can be glimpsed and solidified for the benefit of all.

The Merchant of Venice Act 3 , Scene 1 . Wi l l iam Shakespeare

kaeceefitzgerald@outlook.com

0431 931 838

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Tardigrades, better known as Water Bears, are microscopic animals that exist in some of the most violent environments on earth, such as hot springs, the Himalayas and in the vacuum of space. Since their discovery, their existence has pushed the boundaries of possibility.

As such, the Water Bear was an appropriate subject choice for testing the limits of 3D printing at the time (2012). A highly detailed and life-like

model was created to test the bare minimum size in which a 3D printer could produce an object, while still retaining great detail without reverting to Nano-Printing.

This experiment was developed as a personal project designed to test myself and my capabilities, as it embodies my desire to push the boundaries of 3D printing, design and any endeavour that I involve myself with in general.

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Melinda Looi, an multi- award-winning fashion designers from Malaysia, first teamed up with additive manufacturing giant Materialise in 2013. Together, they created and coordinated Asia Pacific’s first 3D printed fashion show. From 2014 through to 2015, Melinda, Materialise and Industrial Designer Samuel Canning collaborated to create an even grander 3D Printed fashion collection. My roll within this collaboration was broad, as I focused on: 3D modelling a range of accessories to complement the intended full-length 3D printed gown, organising and coordinating the collection's movements across the globe to various exhibitions, and aiding in repairing files sent to us by out-sourced designers in order to prepare them for 3D printing.

A truly international team was assembled to bring Melinda’s second 3D Printed fashion collection to life; a collection based on the splenders of the Ocean:

Coral Boleros: Shoulder Piece. Designed by Melinda Looi. Modelled by Tony Mun.

Dive Into Me: V-neck gown. Designed and by Samuel Canning.

Coral Colonies: Shoes. Designed by Melinda Looi. Modelled by Tony Mun.

Swim Corals Swim: Bracelet. Designed by Melinda Looi & Kaecee Fitzgerald. Modelled by Kaecee Fitzgerald.

Whisper to Me: Ear Loop. Designed by Melinda Looi & Kaecee Fitzgerald. Modelled by Kaecee Fitzgerald.

The final 3D printed collection was printed in white Polyamide over a period of 24 hours. The objects were then hand dyed, and were imbedded with over 4000 individual Swarovski crystals. The collection made it's first international appearance at the Inside 3D Printing Expo in New York, 2015, at which I attended.

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The art of calligraphy is a widely practiced craft and pastime all around the world. Traditional nibs, glass pens and ink pots are still utilised in the modern world for the elegant results they yield when utilised by a skilled practitioner.

This traditional art form was fused with 3D printing as a play on two very different worlds: A traditional practice fused with a very modern form of production.

The five final pens were designed while drawing from nature as inspiration. Each pen head has a fully functional spiral nib. Each nib was designed to retain ink and funnel it down upon contact with paper.

The final products were printed in 2014, in a range of raw brass and bronze. These pens are currently for sale on the i.materialise platform and through Etsy, with an intention to extend the range of objects over time.

Caged Geometry Pen

Vectal Mandala Pen

Twisted Spine Pen

Pyramid Within a Pyramid Pen

Maelstrom Pen

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During 2013, I undertook an MAVA focusing on what practical, ethical and cultural repercussions may follow the inevitable developments in biomedical 3D printing. My response to this question is to re-design, or rather, to re- imagine the shape and function of the human heart, through the scope of 3D printing, while retaining its original purpose.

My outcome was the creation of two 3D printed re-designed human hearts. Pathologists and Cardiac Curgeons were consulted to ensure a

sense of authenticity when conceptualising the objects. One heart was printed in Polyamide to display interior detail, the second heart was printed in transparent resin to display how oxygenated and non-oxygenated blood would flow through the organ. I achieved this effect by creating a red and blue water pump system to illustrate the afore mentioned process.

In theory, this re-imagined heart would function if it were real and implanted within the body, with only a few minor revisions required to it's form.

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If you have to do it, It should be enjoyable

Currently, a select group of people who practice Peritoned Dialysis 4 to 7 times a day find themselves restricted by this sterile and confronting process. Peritoned Dialysis leaves many unable to obtain employment outside of the home, it drastically limits social interaction, and adds feeling to the stigma of being a “sick person”.

The design intent for this brief arose from a need to re-humanise the process of Peritoned Dialysis in order to promote more confidence and less anxiety about performing this cumbersome but necessary activity at work, or in a public space.

An inconspicuous, lightweight, durable bag was designed to accommodate this medical process in a public setting. It allows for the safe transport of vast amounts of supplies needed for Peritoned Dialysis. The bag design is based on pop-up books, mimicking the way they fold up and open out, creating easy access to supplies.

Alexandra Rainer i Per itoned Dialysis Patient

Requirements such as an in built heater compartment, sturdy/lightweight fabric, wheels, and a collapsible handle completed the final bag design. The bag's dual purpose matched with an aesthetically appealing design masks its true function.

Extensive interviews with people on Peritoned Dialysis were conducted, both at hospitals and in the community. The major concern for most people was that existing carry bags are cluttered, cumbersome, and very heavy due to the contents. They stated that they wanted a bag that is waterproof, is convenient and lightweight, and provides a duel purpose which makes people feel that they’re in a pleasant space rather than being stuck within a hospital environment. The only consistent feedback was that people want a stylish, inconspicuous bag.

In response to this feedback, a bag was created that was based on the principal of a pop-up book: A lot of potential within a small space.

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Focusing on very specific target markets, this personal project was created in 2012 to select and focus on a niche market, and to create a perfume bottle tailored entirely to them and their area of expertise. Marine Biologist’s were selected as an interesting and diverse group to design for.

A secondary aspect of the project was to create a bottle design intricate enough to be made only by a 3D printer. Specificity to a target market

was to encourage unique designs that defied peoples perceptions about how a perfume bottle should look.

Inspiration from Sea Urchins was drawn upon in the conceptualisation of the female bottles: The large bottle consists of two outer shells and a sphere which holds perfume. The smaller sampler bottle has fewer layers, one inner and outer layer, in order to eliminate cluster.

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Early in 2012, I developed a personal brief requiring the creation of an object that would fit into a series of existing products by a notable designer or artist.

The French artist/furniture designer Suzy Lelièvre was selected for her work which strongly portrays playful elements of gravity, conflict and movement. In response to her collective works, a design for a grand piano was developed which employs the same themes mentioned: motion and flow.

The brief required enough technical detail in the design to present a challenge during the process of surface modelling. This aspect of the criteria was noted and translated into a determined effort to create an instrument that would in theory, remain functional.

This project was also intended to be a surface modelling exercise, and used to push myself to the limit of my 3D modelling capabilities.

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The start-up company Velara Toys was formed in late 2015 when two sisters, Roobini and Trisshala Sittampalam, decided to transform the toy industry by breaking the barriers between genders. Their mission is to diversify the market by creating female characters and action figures that appeal to both boys and girls.

My role within the company is the concept designer and 3D modeller for all current characters and figurines. The characters are sculpted by hand in clay, 3D scanned, finessed and edited in a range of 3D software and then 3D printed for prototyping and manufacture (Injection Moulding).

After my initial sketches were approved, they were handed over to Louis D. Wiyono; the illustrator tasked with creating the final coloured graphic works used for advertising campaigns. Small alterations were made to the characters appearance in order to facilitate an ease when drawing multiple frames, as would be needed within the creation of a comic book.

This project is ongoing and constantly developing, with some short term goals being: manufacture of the action figures, a Kickstarter campaign, creation of a graphic novel and an eventual video game. It is also intended to create a wider range of characters within the near future, so stay tuned.....

Campaign I l lustrat ion of The Velara Warr iors Louis D. Wiyono

Pic: Myself