R&D project - in samenwerking met Hogeschool PXL - UHasselt (universiteit) - UD Living Lab
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As part of our R&D project Sexual Ergonomics VR - Design for Intimacy, our startup Atorix Design engaged in a unique collaboration with Hogeschool PXL (UD Living Lab) and UHasselt University.
This cross-disciplinary Design Sprint (#UD2CARE) brought together students from the fields of Occupational Therapy, Interior Architecture, and Architecture, who worked around the research question:
How can add-ons (or complementary products) enrich the Chaise Longue to improve daily comfort and/or support intimate experiences of couples?
The aim of this project is to take the functionality of our Intimacy Furniture to the next level, and to support new, specific target groups facing mobility challenges in (sexual) autonomy.
After a deep dive into the world of Universal Design, intimacy, and (sexual) ergonomics, the students began researching the target audience and refining the core problem. We applied the #DoubleDiamond #DesignThinking methodology throughout the sprint.
To bring their ideas to life, they used VR technology, which enabled them to efficiently develop digital prototypes, simulate s*xual positions and activities using anatomically correct bodies, and validate dimensions at 1:1 scale.
✨ It was a first for us to open up our design method and philosophy — including our VR-based workflow — to external participants. Despite the novelty of this approach, the process ran remarkably smoothly. The students quickly embraced the method, showed strong motivation, and handled the topic of intimacy with impressive maturity and respect — resulting in innovative solutions.
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What did we achieve?
✅ Tangible, manufacturable concepts: multifunctional add-ons enabling new forms of intimate experience for individuals and couples. Special attention was paid to specific types of impairments, such as asymmetrical mobility.
✅ Innovative thinking around modularity and adaptability, helping the Chaise Longue support a wider range of intimate scenarios — beyond traditional notions of penetrative s*x.
💡 What’s next?
We’re currently evaluating the presented concepts. Selected ideas will be further developed and tested in the next stages of the project.
Meanwhile, pilot couples are testing Chaise Longue (prototype V2) in real-life, household settings and offering us invaluable feedback.
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🔗 This project was also featured in the press!
Read the full article at www.atorix.design/press or via Het Belang van Limburg (https://lnkd.in/ehMePDWw)
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📸 Images (1 - 2 - 8 - 12) by Jill Delsaux
📰 Press article by Pauline Brabants
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👥 A warm thank you to all the students, supervisors, and experts who made this Design Sprint such a success!
Charlotte Beckers & Katelijn Quartier (Retail Design Lab)
Eva Severens, PhD
🎓 Hogeschool PXL - PXL-Research - UD Living Lab - UHasselt - Faculteit Architectuur en Kunst