Industrial Design

Social Design

Problem-Solving

Individual project

Duration : 3 months

Context

I collaborated with the Bengaluru Traffic Police to address the challenges of working in a hot and dry environment, which often leads to dehydration and fatigue. The officers' demanding work conditions and lack of protective gear contribute to long-term health risks.

Problem Statement

Dehydration, excessive sweating, and overheating of core body areas cause significant physical and mental fatigue. Access to water is limited, as officers must return to a central location for hydration, impacting their health and performance.

How Might We

How might we create a product that keeps BTP officers cool and hydrated using water as a primary resource? The solution should be sustainable, minimize resource use, and effectively target key overheating areas to ensure well-being in harsh conditions.

Analyzing the uniform of the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) was important for the problems I aimed to solve and the design considerations for your project:


  • Understanding Physical Comfort

  • Identifying Opportunities for Hydration Solutions

  • Heat-Related Risk Factors

  • Assessing Practicality and Durability

  • Integrating Safety and Visibility

BTP Uniform

“When we drink water from a bottle, a lot of dust goes into our throats, causing irritation”

“We need atleast 1-2 L per day”

“We would love an AC Helmet, or anything that may cool us down.”

“We have no place for refreshments, we buy our own tea, water and beverages”

“As someone who stands on the

road for hours, the scorching sun

can really drain your energy. Buying our own water, and beverages can be a financial burden.”

Interview Snippets

Translated from Hindi or Kannada to English

In embarking on a research sprint aimed at improving the well-being of Bengaluru Traffic Police officers, I delved into the heart of their work environment, witnessing firsthand the challenges they face daily.


The project’s mission was clear: to address the detrimental impact of overstimulation, fatigue, and stress on the mental and physical health of these officers who tirelessly serve in the hot and dry weather of Bengaluru.

In an effort to understand the nuanced realities of their daily experiences, I committed to an immersive observation, spending an entire shift alongside the dedicated officers in a bustling traffic area. The early morning venture, commencing at 5:30 am, provided a unique opportunity to witness the officers’ duties unfold amidst heavy traffic.

As part of my research, I distributed 7 liters of water amongst the traffic police at the start of their shift, early in the morning, to find out what their water intake was.


On an average, each policeman drinks about 1-1.5 Liters over the course of 8 hours.

Engaging in an immersive exploration of a critical junction, our team adopted the “fly on the wall” research technique to delve into the intricacies of the traffic police’s workflow. Applying the AEIOU framework — Activities, Environment, Interactions, Objects, and Users — our study unfolded as a meticulous examination of each facet shaping the officers’ experiences.


This journey map depicts the mood changes and change in emotions in the traffic police people over the day.

Multiple intercity and intracity roads weave through Hebbal

Lack of pedestrian infrastructure

Lack of cleanliness

Research Focus: Hebbal – A Traffic Hotspot

Fly-On-The-Wall Observations

Varicose veins

Health Hazards that the BPT Face

Health Hazards that the BPT Face

Physical fatigue

Asthma and other respiratory diseases

Hearing and Noise related issues

Psychological issues

such as stress & anxiety

Dehydration

Pollution related issues

RESEARCH PHASE

Building the Context

What are factors that make Bengaluru’s traffic

problematic?

Poor roads, pedestrian pathways and urban planning

Unpredictable weather and bad drainage system

Introducing new infrastructure like new metro lines

Insufficient parking areas

Poorly maintained roads- full of potholes

Inefficient traffic management system

Inefficient public transportation system

Bottlenecks and choke points

Lifestyle

Who are the Bengaluru Traffic Police?

Rotating 8 hour shifts

  • 6 AM to 2 PM

  • 2 PM to 10 PM

  • 11 PM to 6 AM

Deployment area changes every week

They often work in open areas with less protection from the sun and the weather

They use public, hotel/restaurant or station wash rooms

They often work in high dust and smoke

areas

  • An average PM2.5 air concentrations

  • Along with areas with high carbon dioxide and other hazardous gas ratings

Work Environment

The areas where they work can be really loud where noise level can reach 80 db to 130 db

Hot areas where temperature can reach up to 39.2C (103F)

The communicate mostly with each other through walkietalkies, phones and hand signals

They have to carry or buy their own water

Bangalore often receives a 900-970 mm rainfall annually, meaning they often work in really wet and humid conditions

RENDERS

Using silicone - heat proof, flexible.

Mold for silicone model - foamboard with a thermocol core

Drawings for the prototype

PROTOTYPING PHASE

Ideation with the BTP hat

IDEATION PHASE

Ideation with the BTP neon jacket