Design Project 1: ThermochroMAT

Final Design Report

ES 1050 – Introductory Engineering Design and Innovation Studio

Studio Professor: Roger Khayat
Studio Section: 010
Group Number: 007
14th November, 2014

Group Members
Ameen Meddaoui - 250771440
Nicholas Van Osch - 250781843
Muhammad Wali Abro - 250799267
Brandon Assing - 250
Greg Solis - 250771462

Executive Summary

The risk of scald and burn injuries posed by everyday household appliances, and especially
heaters, is real - and even high - for many people in their homes, and in their workplaces. This report

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discusses possible product designs to address this issue, and evaluates those designs considered by the
team. Although there are various products which already exist to solve this problem, it was found that
these products had certain design flaws which could be improved upon, and most products could not be
applied to many common situations in which there was a risk of burn injury. The group created several
designs to transcend these flaws, and to create a product which had many applications. After evaluating
all of the group's most desirable designs, it was found that a shower mat (later termed the
“ThermochroMAT”) would be the most ideal solution to the problem. The ThermochroMAT is composed
of a specially-designed shower mat which is coated with strips of chemically-engineered
thermochromatic paint, and an outer layer of waterproofing material. The ThermcroMAT changes color as
temperature increases - alerting the user to scald risks from water while taking a shower or a bath.
Furthermore, in keeping with the original safety-related design intentions of shower mats, the
ThermochroMAT also has a textured top surface, and suction cups on the bottom, in order to reduce the
risk of slipping while in the shower. Evaluation of the ThermochroMAT from a business perspective
suggests that it could be easily marketed towards safety-conscious parents of young children, caretakers
of seniors with reduced independence, such seniors by themselves, and safety enthusiasts for themselves.
Moreover, its potential for a high profit turnover, due to low production costs and high commercial value;
its stackability, resulting in ability to ship large quantities with lower transport costs per unit; its visual
appearance malleability, resulting in the ability to produce the same product that appeals to different
consumer tastes, makes the ThermochroMAT an attractive investment option. This - in light of the ease-
of-use of the product for users of all ages, including children - very likely results in a large potential
market for the product, and equally large returns.

Table Of Contents

Introduction……………………………………………….………………….………………….. 4
Design Objectives………………….………………….………………….……………………... 6
Design Constraints………………….………………….………………….……………………...7
Innovation and Creativity………………….………………….………………….……………... 8

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Evaluation………………….………………….………………….………………….…………... 9
Description of Prototype………………….………………….………………….………………. 10
Conclusions………………….……..………….………………….………………….………….. 11
References………………….………………….………………….………………….………….. 14
Appendix A……………….………………….………………….………………….………….... 15
A-1: Mind Map………………………………………………………………………….. 15
A-2: Shower Mat Sketch………………………………………………………………... 16
A-3: Seat Stitching Sketch………………………………………………………………. 16
A-4: Pan Sketch…………………………………………………………………………. 17
A-5: Front View, Top Isometric View, Bottom Isometric View………………………. 17
A-6: Detailed Design Sketch…………..……………………………………………….. 18
A-7: Color and Temperature Relationship Chart……………………………………… 19
Appendix B………………………………………………………………………………………. 20
B-1: Go/No-Go Table………………………………………………………………….... 20
B-2: Design Matrix…………………………………………………………………….... 20
B-3: Time and Temperature Relationship to Severe Burns……………………………. 21
Appendix C………………………………………………………………………………………. 22
C-1: Marketing Pamphlet……………………………………………………………….. 22

Introduction

The introduction of household water heaters occurred in 1889 by Edwin Ruud, a Norwegian
Mechanical Engineer. Ever since Ruud’s development, people have readily and easily had heated water at
their disposal for uses such as bathing, showering, cleaning, et cetera. However, the fateful introduction
of these heaters brought with it several new safety risks. As of recently, concerns such as potential
bacteria development, and scald injuries, have caused owners to be particularly cautious when
maintaining the ever-important device. Many advancements have recently been applied to water heaters
in order to reduce the risk of scald injuries, such as manual temperature controls. However, to this day, a
“recommended water heater temperature” has not been set - mostly due to the fact that high temperatures
create scald injury risks, and low temperatures create a risk of bacteria development.
On an as-of-yet-unrelated-train-of-thought, the shower mat is a common household article used
for both: decorative, and safety reasons. In terms of safety, the shower mat is most commonly used for

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tractional purposes in order to prevent slip-and-fall injuries, but its potential to ensure the safety of its
users far exceeds its current design. Exposure of one’s skin to substances at high temperatures, such as tap
water, can easily lead to scalding - especially for those who are young, or elderly. Most scald injuries
occur within the home, as household water heaters can cause water to reach unsafe temperatures, which
we’ve already noted earlier.
The severity of a scald injury depends upon various factors, such as the temperature of the
substance, the length of exposure, and the location of exposure. According to Parachute Canada, a
national organization dedicated to preventing injuries within the home, the majority of Canadians’ hot-
water tanks are set to a maximum temperature of sixty degrees Celsius (60° C). At this temperature, a
third- degree burn would develop after five seconds of contact (see Appendix B-3). Unlike the skin of a
healthy middle-aged person, young children have much thinner and more sensitive skin - which directly
relates to their vulnerability to scald injuries. A source of water that may cause a middle aged man’s hand
to burn in five seconds will only require a second or two to scald a young child.
The ThermochroMAT is a modification of shower mats as they exist today, harnessing their
current safety features while introducing another to reduce the risk of scald injuries. This is where the
trains-of-thought merge: with the ability to display whether water is safe to come in contact with, users
are able to keep water heater temperature high enough to reduce the risk of bacteria development without
having to risk an unintentional scald injury.
The featured innovation of the ThermochroMAT is its thermochromatic ink-coated surface. With
the use of thermochromic technology - currently used in baby bottles, kettles, and the famed mood ring -
the ThermochroMAT has the ability to change color, which is triggered by a change in temperature. The
ThermochroMAT can, and will, be calibrated with the goal of changing colors at specific temperatures to
easily inform the user whether or not the water’s temperature is reasonably safe to come into contact with.
The product was specifically designed with ease-of-use in mind.
Other novel aspects of the product design include the non-slip silicone rubber structure. Silicone
rubber best fits the design objectives in terms of cost and structural properties. Silicone rubber is
generally non-reactive, stable, and able to withstand temperatures ranging from below freezing to three
hundred degrees Celsius (300° C).
Throughout this report, the development of alternative ideas, and the ThermochroMAT, will be
discussed. Firstly, initial objectives and constraints will be developed, where a general list of detailed
design objectives shall be presented in order to address the penultimate goals of the design. Secondly,
product-specific innovations, and the creativity techniques used to develop the innovative ideas will be
discussed. Then, an evaluation of preliminary design ideas will be presented, and compared, in order to
distinguish the preferred proposal from the rest of the alternatives. Finally, a detailed depiction of the

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ThermochroMAT, along with a prototype description, will be presented to describe the final outcome of
this group’s product, and its product’s functionality.

Design Objectives

In order to meet the minimum requirements of the project, the final product must be designed in
such a way that it meets, or exceeds, the following design objectives:

1. Durable: The device must be be able to withstand its intended use, and should not break or wear
out easily. It must also be useful for a reasonable length of time.
2. Ease of Use: Device must be user-friendly in terms of ease-of-use, and must not be complicated
to use - more importantly, it must be easily comprehended by the very young, and the elderly, as
these two groups are the main target audience.
3. Inexpensive: Device must be seen as affordable to general public, and must offer high value. It
will also need to be competitive amongst substitute products.
4. Safe: While the proposed product will be intended to eliminate a safety risk with another product
or activity, the proposed product must not pose any significant safety risks itself to the user.
5. Useful Range: The product should also have a range of environments in which it can be used, in
order to have meaningful applications outside of the main stated goal - thusly, it will become
more customizable to the individual needs of the user.
6. Appealing: In order for the product to be adopted by customers, it must exude a form of “must-
have” persona, or appeal. Given the high value placed on visual appeal, the product design could
be tweaked near the end to make the product look physically attractive.

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Design Constraints
These restrictions and/or limitations for the final product identify challenges to overcome in order
to have a viable product that addresses the problem definition:

1. Must be produced in under $15.

2. Must be accurate and consistent: Performance should be consistent and predictable in order to
achieve its purpose.
3. Must be safe to handle, apply, and use: Should not melt, or deform under normal operating
temperatures1 of water geysers, at the very least. Should not react to produce harmful toxins, or
pollutants.
4. Must avoid making the original product worse: Should not take away from the utility of the
product being improved in any way.

1 This includes temperatures that rise well above what is considered “safe”, but could possibly be
reached under high usage, hot weather, or any other adverse circumstances.

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Innovation and Creativity

After determining all the constraints that must be overcome, and the objectives that would be
ideal to shoot for, concept generation began. Concept generation was split into two steps: (1) determining
what would work best for reducing the risk of scald injuries, and what would also increase general safety;
and, (2) then, determining how most of the design objectives could have been met. To come up with the
original concept, the techniques of brainstorming, 180-degree thinking and mind-mapping were
employed. With brainstorming, three main concepts arose: firstly, the idea of using thermochromatic inks;
secondly, the idea of using a specific type of metal to indicate the temperature, either by changing shape,
or colour; and third and lastly, the idea of creating some protective barrier between the user and the heat-
source. After brainstorming, 180-degree thinking was applied in an attempt to conceive some new,
unorthodox solutions that could work - these conceived the idea of finding a way to limit the maximum
water temperature of the water heater, and the idea of developing a substance to cleanse people without
needing to be hot, and without being harmful. Unfortunately, the concepts generated through 180-degree
thinking were quickly deemed to be too impractical.
Having generated some initial concepts, the next step was to consider which of the concepts
would have the best application, and would meet as many objectives as possible. Again, brainstorming
and a mind-map (see Appendix A-1) were used to generate as many ideas as possible - and 180-degree
thinking was replaced with brutethink, as a result of 180-degree thinking being ineffective in the previous
attempt. This time around, the method of brutethink was employed first so as to inspire more creative,
out-of-the-box thoughts. While using brutethink, the focus was on “hot” - or, more specifically, “things
that commonly get hot”. The results included leather car seats, tap water, pots and pans, fireplaces, ovens,
and dishwashers, amongst many others. From there, a brief analysis was conducted to determine what
could be improved, and how. Product ideas such as leather car seats with thermochromatic threads in
them, pots with their outer layer coated in thermochromatic paint, and a shower mat with a
thermochromatic design were all contemplated, and deliberated on.

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Evaluation
As soon as the concepts were narrowed down to the shower mat (see Appendix A-2), stitching for
leather seats (see Appendix A-3), and the specialized pots (see Appendix A-4), it became necessary to
evaluate which could lead to the best product for the group to design. But, before this could be done, each
possible product needed to become more developed than just a generic concept - some basic features
needed to be determined. From there, it was established that the shower mat should have thermochromatic
ink for identifying water temperature, and would also include the inherent safety features of a shower
mat. The stitches would also be coated with thermochromic ink, and would need to be durable enough to
withstand consistently high temperatures, UV rays, and regular rub-and-tug. Lastly, the pot would be
designed with an outer metal layer that would change to a bright red color at relatively low temperatures
to warn that the metal is still hot. Once the basic details of each potential prototype were finalized,
evaluation and comparison between them could begin.
The initial comparison between all three of these was a simple “Go/No-Go” Complex, where
each was tested against the following concepts deemed most vital: “Improves Safety”, is “Easily
Implemented”, is “Durable”, and is “Financially Feasible” (see Appendix B-1). Results from this test
showed that the stitches could not be easily implemented into cars that already have the stitching done,
that the shower mat would not be able to be extremely durable in its temperature sensing abilities, and
that the improved metal pots would be way too expensive to be a feasible option. However, most of these
issues could easily be solved in some way or another; so, to decide which design would be most worth
improving to make more feasible, a design matrix was then used. The design matrix took into account
many of the design objectives to realize the possible potential of the concepts (see Appendix B-2). After
completing the design matrix, it was quickly understood that the shower mat with thermochromic ink held
the greatest potential, even whilst having questionable durability in its original draft design. What was
considered next was how to best maximize the potential of this shower mat - many features still needed to
be determined, and these would be determined during the prototyping stages.

Description of Prototype

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 The prototype produced was an accurate representation of what the final product would look like.
It was constructed out of cheap materials so as to not cross the $15 limit, and the main component -
thermochromatic ink - was not yet implemented into the product. A plain, transparent shower mat was
purchased, and was partially coated in shades of red paint to illustrate the appropriate color change per
temperature range. The flexible, textured, plastic shower mat with suction cups was used because it had
the same properties that the final design was expected to have. The red paint was used because red is
often a colour associated with danger, making it a fitting color for an unsafe temperature indicator.
For the final product, thermochromatic ink will be purchased, will cover certain portions of the
shower mat, and a protective layer will then be applied on top of the mat to prevent the paint from
wearing off and losing its useful properties. This means that the water will not actually be in contact with
the ink - but rather, the temperature that the water produces will cause the indicator to react through heat
transfer. The thermochromatic paint would be transparent until the water temperature reaches around 37°
C. At this point, it will turn to a light shade of pink until the temperature reaches around 48° C, at which
point it will then turn to a light shade of red. The ink will continue to darken until the temperature reaches
51° C, leaving the mat a bright red from that temperature point and above (see Appendix A-7 for
reference)..
The shower mat will be the same size as the prototype: 2ft. x 1ft. x 1/16 in., allowing it to fit into
most showers. These dimensions were chosen because the mat does not need to cover the full surface of
the shower floor, but rather the area where the water lands, and, thusly, the area where one would stand
for the duration of the shower. The suction cups covering the mat were spaced approximately 3 inches
apart allowing the mat to stay level when a force is applied onto it. Also, the prototype had a textured
design on it in order to help prevent falls - a feature that will also be implemented into the final product
(see Appendix A-6 for full Final Design Sketch).
Although the prototype was not expected to function, it served its purpose in illustrating how the
final design would operate. The suction cups, and the textured surface, showed its two secondary safety
components in working form, while the red gradient showcased its main purpose - despite not
functioning.

Conclusions

This project began with the main objective being “improve the safety of an existing product’s
design”. During preliminary phases of the project, an interesting problem was identified: the problem of

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burn risks in many common environments - especially to the more vulnerable social groups of young
children, and the elderly. The identification of this problem stemmed from extensive background research
done by all members of the group which revealed several interesting facts, and shocking statistics, about
burn injuries. The fact which had the greatest impact upon choosing this problem was that most homes in
Canada have a water heater which is capable of heating water to levels that can cause a third-degree burn
in only five seconds.
After identifying the problem to be solved, the group outlined a series of objectives and
constraints for the design solution. The design objectives included: ease-of-use, high durability, low cost,
improvement of safety, and market appeal. The design constraints included: the fifteen dollar budget,
maintaining user safety, and maintaining functionality of the original design.
These constraints and objectives were translated into possible designs through various concept
generation techniques. The group generated three main ideas through the brainstorming technique, and
several ideas through 180-degree thinking. The ideas generated by 180-degree thinking were dismissed
for being too unfeasible to actually implement. The three main ideas generated through brainstorming
were: to use thermochromatic inks, to use a metal alloy which would change color at certain
temperatures, and to create some other type of protection to prevent the user from coming into contact
with heated materials. The most feasible and desirable of these three ideas was decided by the group to be
the thermochromatic inks. Further concept generation through brainstorming and brutethink resulted in
three possible design solutions using the chosen solution mechanism of thermochromatic inks. These
design solutions were a thermochromatic shower mat, a thermochromatic pot or pan, and a car seat with
thermochromatic threads woven into it.
The three design solutions were evaluated using preliminary sketches, and other evaluation
methods. The preliminary sketches and other design specifications were created to aid in effective
implementation of the evaluation methods. Some design specifications considered at this stage included a
bright red indicator on the pan which would be visible at relatively low temperatures. Also, the group
determined that the pan could have special inner heating elements to improve conduction of heat, and
have a non-slip heat-resistant handle to improve comfort, and to increase usability even under higher
temperatures. The weaving for the car seats would be coated with thermochromatic ink, and would need
to maintain its functionality even through repeated frictional force caused by the users’ sitting, and UV
radiation from the sun. The shower mat was initially specified to have a thermochromatic top coating and
non-slip properties.
The design solutions were tested using a Go/No-Go complex, which yielded the result that each
design had certain drawbacks, but all were still feasible. Since Go/No-Go testing was inconclusive, a
design-matrix was used to further analyze the solutions. The shower mat scored top mark in ease-of-use,

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versatility, and ease of setting up. Most importantly, however, it scored highest in the improvement of
safety category - the single most important design feature. Therefore, the shower mat design was selected
for prototyping.
The prototyping phase provided many challenges to the design process - the first of which was
the need to identify necessary aspects of engineering science, and learning how to apply these in the real-
world outside the textbook, to make the design functional. First, the problem of the specially-engineered
thermochromatic paint was approached. It was determined that a special type of dye called “leuco dye”
would solve the problem. Leuco dyes are appropriate for use in the thermochromatic layer since they
demonstrate the needed thermochromatic properties, and have a very stable chemistry. Another
engineering problem encountered was to determine the material which the mat would be made out of.
This was decided to be silicone due to its high temperature threshold, and strength.
The actual prototype was made while keeping the fifteen dollar budget. This meant that no actual
thermochromatic inks would be used due to their high cost when purchased in low quantities. A
transparent shower mat was used for the prototype. The mat was painted with a gradient of red paint to
show the difference in color throughout the temperature ranges. The prototype had length and width
dimensions of 2 ft by 1 ft, which would also be the final dimensions used if the product was to go to
market. The prototype mat also had a textured surface, and suction cups on the bottom to demonstrate the
non-slip properties the final mat would have.
A preliminary marketing campaign was also outlined by the group, mainly for use during the
demonstration during the design studio (see Appendix C-1). The shower mat has some great marketing
points including its ease-of-use, benefit to children and the elderly, and its ability to be customized, which
could add aesthetic appeal for a wide range of customers.
Many valuable lessons were learned while completing this project. For example, it was learned
how important design sketches, and initial concepts truly are to creating a great end-product.
Also, the group saw firsthand how a great initial idea could sometimes have to be dismissed due
to various constraints. This particular design project could have had better results if the budget was
increased. The group felt that the budget for the prototype was excessively low; hence, certain aspects of
the design were not functional. If the budget were increased, it would be possible to create a more
functional prototype, more accurate conclusions could be drawn regarding design, and engineering
concepts could be better learned up to the prototyping stage of product development. Another
improvement which could be made to the project would be to include some time for training students in
the use of CAD software. If students were all able to confidently use CAD software, many more designs
could possibly have been generated. The lessons learned from this project are widely applicable,
especially to future projects. In the future, this group will adhere strictly to the formal design process as it

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was found to have provided good results. Overall, the project was a success, as the prototype and design
specifications were all found to be realistic and accurate. The ThermocroMAT was successfully designed
to improve upon the existing design of a shower mat, and was made safer for a variety of users in many
situations.

References

The following sources were used extensively, and provide the framework for all decisions and claims
made in this design report. This report, and this product, would not have been possible without the
information obtained by these sources.

1. Barnsley, P., & Barnsley, S. (2007). Rate of pediatric tap water scald injuries in eastern Ontario.
US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, 15(1), 33-37. Retrieved
November 12, 2014, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2686042/
2. Hot tap water FAQ. (n.d.). Retrieved November 14, 2014, from
http://www.parachutecanada.org/injury-topics/item/hot-tap-water-faq

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 3. Jagger, D. (2011, July 1). The National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors. Retrieved
November 14, 2014, from http://www.nationalboard.org/index.aspx?pageID=164&ID=247
4. The Burn Foundation - www.burnfoundation.org - Burn Prevention. (2009, August 7). Retrieved
November 14, 2014, from https://www.burnfoundation.org/programs/resource.cfm?c=1&a=3

Appendix A

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Appendix A-1: Mind Map

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Appendix A-2: Shower Mat Sketch

Appendix A-3: Seat Stitching Sketch

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Appendix A-4: Pan Sketch

Appendix A-5: Front View, Top Isometric View, and Bottom Isometric View

Appendix A-6: Detailed Design Sketch

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A-7: Color and Temperature Relationship Chart

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Appendix B

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Appendix B-1: Go/No-Go Table

Concept Improve Safety Easily Implemented Durability Financial Feasibility

Stitches Go No Maybe Go

Shower Mat Go Go No (Fixable) Go

Pots Go Go Go No

Appendix B-2: Design Matrix

Concept Appealing Ease of use Versatility Set-Up Safety Overall

*.1 *.2 *.2 *.2 *.3

Stitches 8 8 2 2 2 3.8

Shower Mat 7 8 7 9 8 7.9

Pots 5 8 5 9 8 7.3

Appendix B-3: Time and Temperature Relationship to Severe Burns

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