Rohan Jaguste Design is a design studio based in Stockholm, Sweden. We work with a diverse group of professionals on projects pertaining to design for extreme environments, human-machine interaction, information graphics, and industrial design. To know how we can help you help people, do get in touch.
The desire to work with extreme environments in underprivileged regions was the key driving factor behind the master thesis work at Konstfack. To continue the effort in that direction, we joined the Refugee Housing Unit project in early 2012. Funded by the Ikea Foundation, and managed by Stiftelsen Svensk Industridesign (SVID), the project is a joint effort between Makarna Karlsson AB, Kanter Karlsson AB, and Technische Universiteit Eindhoven (TU/e), and involves several production partners and suppliers from Europe.
The project is developing specifications for a modular, semi-permanent housing unit designed specifically for refugee camps around the world, with an intent to overcome the shortcomings of the current units put in use by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in various regions affected by natural and man-made disasters.
My responsibilities include the design of the photovoltaic system for the unit, product data management, and design engineering support.
As we live-by-wire everyday, the emphasis on human-machine interaction, especially when dealing with complex environments involving the control of heavy and expensive machines, has to be substantial.
One such environment is the flight deck onboard civil aircraft. The complexity of systems like modern civilian aircraft induce disparities in thought and application between those who design the system, and those who use the system. These disparities lead to the errors that emanate during their operation. This project is investigating areas within the realm of industrial design to develop alternative methods to humanise machines in ways which humans can communicate with at ease, thereby allowing both to operate in a state of cognitive equilibrium, and thus bringing about the timely mitigation of errors.
My participation in the Space Studies Programme at the International Space University (Technische Universität Graz, Austria) in the summer of 2011 provided me with crucial insights and networks within the space industry. Subsequently, it led to a team project investigating Human Robotic cooperation for the exploration of Mars, followed by a publication and a paper presentation at the International Astronautical Federation's Global Space Exploration conference.
To continue developing expertise in designing for extreme environments, this project is examining the nature of human interactions prevalent in complex environments — social, industrial and automated — here on Earth, to then outline a design paradigm for formulating a framework for Human Machine Interaction (HMI) for long duration human spaceflights. The paradigm will be driven by industrial design, architecture and urban planning practices, drawing influences from human factors, systems engineering and social sciences. The resulting framework intends to provide a moderated environment for interaction between an international crew and their space faring machines, thereby fostering efficient co-operation for enduring long duration spaceflights.
The post-master research programme at Mejan Arc, Kungliga Konsthögskolan in Stockholm has provided me with an opportunity to study the prospects of commons in our society today.
The project explorers the character of commons resulting from a radical paradigm shift in the functioning of contemporary societies, and speculates on the consequences that may ensue. The premise of the study is the nature and the life cycle of societies from a point of view of resources it consumes.