Mwenge SIKULI

DESIGN PROBLEM This picture (in low resolution because derived from a video from field research) illustrates the design problem of my graduation project: supermarket customers experience difficulties using a barcode scanner together with a shopping basket. This called for a redesign of the scanner. Using a handheld barcode scanner has multiple advantages: - Going through check-out is faster because the cashier doesn’t need to scan the items, as the data is pulled from the mobile scanner - Reduced time to wait in line at checkout - Users have more control over their shopping budget by knowing the intermediate total price of the scanned items - Some scanners display extra information, e.g. origin of the groceries and nutritional value. However, for customers using a shopping basket, the existing barcode scanners aren’t user-friendly as they need to handle their shopping basket, the grocery items AND the barcode scanner simultaneously, which results in an undesirable user experience.

FINAL PROTOTYPE The BUDDY: a mobile barcode scanner that doesn't need to be manipulated to scan grocery items and provides a better shopping experience int the supermarket. Customers can bring the scanner along with them during a shopping trip and scan the barcodes of their grocery items as the go through the supermarket. It fits on all the different shopping recipients (shopping bag, basket, cart) thanks to its universal clamping system.

DESIGN PROCESS | PROTOTYPING The design process was an iterative cycle consisting of user research, building prototypes, testing them in the field with supermarket customers, and making design decisions based on the test results. In total I did initial user research with 49 supermarket customers in 4 different supermarkets. Over the course of the master’s year I built 22 prototypes and tested them with 97 supermarket customers.

DESIGN PROCESS | TESTING IN THE FIELD WITH SUPERMARKET CUSTOMERS

DESIGN PROCESS | CAD MODELLING Modeling the scanner's shell and clamp in Siemens NX to be 3D printed. The scanner has to be fixable on all the different shopping recipients (shopping cart, shopping basket, shopping bag, ...)

Render

DESIGN PROCESS | ARDUINO PROGRAMMING The insides of the BUDDY I prototyped and programmed the functionality of the scanner using Arduino. The Arduino Uno board was connected to: - an ultrasonic sensor detecting when a grocery item is presented to the scanner - a barcode scanner module reading the barcodes and sending the data to the processor - an LCD screen displaying the information of the scanned item: name, number of scanned items, the item's price and the total price. - an on/off switch All this was securely soldered and fitted inside the 3D printed shell.