2022
AIR-UP
AirUp recognized the dullness of plain water's taste despite its vital role in hydration. The air up® drinking system ingeniously transforms regular tap water into flavors using scent alone. It's a refreshingly straightforward yet revolutionary concept, completely reshaping the drinking experience. Radically distinct, visionary, and transparent with no hidden details. Free from additives, sugar, and waste, it offers a refreshingly responsible way of drinking. What's more? By reducing carbon and plastic footprints, it's a chance to contribute to saving the environment.
Background.
This project was born from a spontaneous idea that struck me after my experience with the renowned AirUp bottle. I noticed some weak points and I felt compelled to address them through a swift and preliminary design approach.
Explaining the magic.
Retronasal perception is the scientific principle underpinning scent-based taste. Natural flavors absorbed by your mouth are then carried to your nose, where your brain interprets them as taste. What's fascinating is that about 80%* of our perception of taste is actually shaped by our sense of smell.
While many believe that our tongue and taste buds solely determine taste, the reality is far more complex and intriguing.
Current status.
Following thorough desk research and personal experimentation, I've identified several prevalent issues in the AirUp bottle. Mostly related to the overall user experience.
Ideation.
Diving into form exploration while simultaneously addressing primary concerns like hygiene, pod activation/deactivation, cap locking/unlocking, potential leaking, and other related issues.
Hygiene.
Currently, the process involves pulling the pod up or down to activate or deactivate it, then placing your mouth on the straw to drink.. However, this method leads to hygiene concerns as it involves contact between the mouth and the fingers.
A swift solution to address this hygiene issue is to rearrange the sequence of parts.
Activation/Deactivation.
Seeking to simplify the drinking process by reducing multiple steps (unscrewing the bottle cap, pulling up the pod to activate it, pushing it down to deactivate, and screwing the cap back on), a simple idea emerged.
The concept revolves around integrating a dual functionality into the cap itself taking reference from the salt shaker…
One hand operation.
Another objective was to enhance the process, making it a one-handed operation.
By removing the lid, we offer direct drinking access, eliminate loose components, and enable effortless one-handed use.
Leaking.
Leakage often occurs due to bottles with short necks that meet the cap and lock only at the edge.
Expanding the contact surface area between the bottle and cap ensures a complete, tight seal, preventing leaks, which is achieved by elongating both necks.
AirUp transformation.
This outcome emerged from a brainstorming various potential alternatives to elevate the overall user experience while preserving the remarkable functionality and iconic appearance.
Smooth operation.
The reimagined design enables one-hand use with integrated pod control upon bottle opening and closing. Ensures hygienic contact, uniform shape for ergonomic comfort, eliminates locking hassle, enhances aroma infusion for better taste, and resolves leaking issues for easier water access when tilting.
Up close.
The bottle includes a sliding lock cap with a grip, connected to a leak-proof underlay.
A flexible silicon spout expands and retracts with the cap's sliding motion.
The pod has four wide openings for aroma diffusion and connects to the cap for activation/deactivation during bottle use.
Multiple functionality with one single movement, enhancing the user experience and eliminating most of the previous weaknesses.
No need to worry about manually activating or deactivating your pods anymore. The redesigned pods seamlessly align with the external cap's rotary section, synchronizing their movement as you slide open the cap to drink. This automatic rotation of the pods ensures their alignment with the bottle neck's openings, enhancing aroma infusion without any extra effort.
