2. ABOUT ME!
I am a recent graduate from the University of Cincinnati holding a
degree in Industrial Design. With close to 20 months of real world
design experience, having worked in Consultancies, Furniture, and
even print design.
I have fought forest fires, built a brand to create and sell high
performance kitchen knives under, and ran 57 miles at once.
I am an ambitious designer, with a desire to succeed, and create
meaningful design with a truly unique approach. Below is a brief
sample of my work, but feel free to visit nick-siemer.com for more!
3. Nick Siemer
PERSONAL PORTFOLIO
www.nick-siemer.com
CONTACT
siemernj@mail.uc.edu
513-207-7211
PERMANENT ADDRESS
8094 Turcotte Ln, North
Bend, OH 45052
INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER
FRONTGATE
Industrial Design Intern
May 2014 - May 2015
Porta Forma Brand January – May 2015
Heavily focused on research of emerging trends
surrounding modern luxury lifestyles for the new
Porta Forma brand with research into various
new innovative materials and processes to pro-
vide extra sustainability. Developed core sell-
able products with innovative functions to help
drive the new brand into the desired market.
Margaritaville Brand May – August 2014
Had duties of a full time designer and worked
with a multidisciplinary team to develop nearly
ten new products for a fun and creative lifestyle
brand called Margaritaville.
WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING
Type II Firefighter
June 2015 – Present
Volunteer through Veteran service group called
Team Rubicon, currently certified as a Type II.
Fought on two fires in Nevada and California
in 2015.
SKILLS + INTERESTS
SOFTWARE
3D Solidworks 2015 [Advanced], Autodesk Alias
Automotive [Moderate], Keyshot 5 [Advanced]
2D Adobe Master Collection Creative Suite 6,
Sketchbook Pro
OS Advanced experience with PC, comfortable
with Mac platforms
DRAWING
Quick, accurate and fluid product sketches.
Rendering with various multimedia including
pens, pencils and markers. Fast and loose digital
painting with Wacoms. Still life drawing and
painting.
PERSONAL INTERESTS
Long Distance Running: Stone Steps 50k and
1DayForKIA, hiking, traveling, being outside,
eating a lot of food.
OHIYO WORKSHOP
Owner + Maker
August 2015 – Present
Independently designed, forged, crafted, and
tested a line of high performance kitchen knives.
Built a brand to sell them under and continue to
ideate and make knives. I market to experienced
chefs and at home cooks who seek products
with high functionality. Building my own brand
has been challenging, yet rewarding.
CATALYST
Industrial Design Intern
August – December 2015
Design consultancy focused on rapid product
development, iteration and low injection mold-
ing. Worked closely with engineers and other
industrial designers to solve problems and
create solutions. While working on this team I
was fortunate enough to develop two products
currently advancing towards patents. I person-
ally developed a greater sense of internal and
human design.
UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
Cincinnati, Ohio
DAAP Industrial Design
September 2011 – June 2016
3.3 GPA
SWINBURNE UNIVERSITY
Melbourne, Australia
Industrial Design
July 2014 – December 2015
SAINT XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL
Cincinnati, Ohio
Honors 4 years
August 2007 – July 2011
EDUCATION
EXPERIENCE
5. MY GRANDPA RAY
WAS DIAGNOSED WITH
COPD
His life changed. He was forced onto Oxygen
Therapy, unable to go about his daily life. He
stopped being social, and leaving his own
home. The stigma surrounding medical devices
embarressed him, and the solutions available
were unappealing.
6. Permanent in-home oxygen solu-
tion. Offers a steady flow during all
hours
User must constantly be connected
with a hose, thus low mobility is a
deciding factor
Concentrates air into pure oxygen, and
runs off rechargeable batteries
Foreign and medical design, but offers
highest mobility
Pre-filled tanks with a supply limited to
amount of tanks. Non-refillable
Lower mobility, but use of carts does
allow for some activity freedom outside
of home
IN-HOME TANK PORTABLE CONCENTRATOR PORTABLE TANKS
COPD TREATMENTS
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
7. Looking at the Oxygen Concentrators on the market, and rating their interface ease of
use, inviting aesthetic, and mobility
CURRENT CONCENTRATOR MARKET
Smaller, with carrying strap,
yet interface is still complex
and confusing
Alternate handle is not easy
to carry, but does increase
mobility
Wheels for rolling, but no
option to carry.
Newest Phillips
concentrator. Efficient, yet
still cumbersome
ACTIVOX INNOGEN ECLIPSE RESPIRONICS
interface
mobility
aesthetic
7 7
6
8. HOW ITS CARRIED
Current oxygen concentrators complicate the users life, and add
unnecessary stress. Using one was a struggle even for me.
Simple tasks such as using the
bathroom, or taking the garbage
out became overtly difficult.
Using the shoulder strap made
it awkward, and the device was
heavy, while getting in the way.
Interface has multiple buttons
and features. My grandpa isn’t
too tech savy.
RESTRICTIVE CUMBERSOME CONFUSING
9. RAY’S PROBLEMS
Lightweight, small, and quiet. All
increase mobility, and help rejuve-
nate the user. Giving them the extra
energy and boost they need
Device should be fairly easy to
use day in and out, and offer mul-
tiple features to improve overall
quality of life.
Overall design aesthetic
should promote everyday
use, increase mobility, and
detach from the “stigma” of
medical design
REJUVENTATING INTUITIVE STIGMA-FREE
An interview with my Grandpa Ray, about the Portable Oxygen Concentrator which he
owns, and the problems he encounters everyday as a user.
12. PHYSICAL PROTOTYPES
Using foam models to actually carry the device. Continually
placing myself in different usage scenarios.
Thinking about overall profile,
whille still being able to fit
components
Thought about ergonomic
handle placement, and being
able to move the device easily
Thinking how to move the
device when both hands are
needed. Full range of Motion
THINNER ERGONOMIC VERSATILE
14. RETRACTABLE HOSE
BACKPACK STRAP
SIMPLE INTERFACE
For use when trying to in-
crease mobility, and want a
tight hose to prevent tangling
SImple two button interface
eliminates unnecessary tasks, in
hope of less confusion.
For longer walks or tasks
which require two hands,
carrying on the back was
the best option.
REJUVINATE
MOBILE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR
15. HOW IT WORKS
AIR GETS SUCKED IN
RELEASED TO USER
SIEVE BEDS SEPERATE
PURE OXYGEN STORED
Air consists of nearly %75
nitrogen, with the rest being
oxygen.
Per a need basis the
oxygen is released to the
user through the retractable
hose.
Sieve beds perform a process
which seperates nitrogen from
Oxygen, and releases the
nitrogen.
The pure oxygen is then
compressed and stored.
1
4
2
3
REJUVINATEMOBILE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR
16. B.O.M., AND PULSE 270 DEGREE AIR INTAKESIMPLE BUTTONS
FEATURES
REJUVINATEMOBILE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR
19. To develop a brand to sell my products
To celebrate my heritage and Cincinnati culture
To design tools that will help generations
To develop and learn a new craft
Creatively inspired from Japanese techniques
A DRIVE TO CREATE
20. MY MISSION
“Nothing is more satisfying to me than designing
a tool that I can create and hold in my hand,
and appreciate for a lifetime. the challenge of
Developing a tool with superior performance and
personality, is beyond rewarding.”
21. Extractable
icon
Heritage
element
PRIMARY LOGO
SECONDARY LOGO TIRCIARY LOGO
TYPEFACE
COLOR PALETTE
Din Condensed Black
Ohiyo is what the Ohio valley and river
were referred to by the Shawnee
indians. It literally means “It is
Beautiful.” Having grown up in
Cincinnati, with small Native American
roots, and having spent most of my
childhood roaming the woods and hills
around the Ohio River, I felt this
resonated with me.
BRANDING
22. PRIMARY LOGO
SERIES LOGO
ALTERNATE PRIMARY
The terciary mark will be used to
stamp each knife, and generations to
come will be able to recoginze who
made the blade. The series
branding was done so that I can
differentiate between kitchen knives,
outdoor knives, and so on.
ADDITIONAL
BRANDING
23. Locally sourced materials, with a
unique aesthetic combining into
a high performance tool is rare,
stands out.
Resharpening and honing will keep
this knife sharp for generations to
come.
Ability to hand select metal com-
position allows for super hard high
carbon core, with soft durable,
stainless coating.
There are many kitchen knives on the market, even multiple people who handcraft their own knives
as well, here is my difference.
DURABILITY HEIRLOOM PERSONALITY
THE DIFFERENCE
24. DEBA GYUTO NAKIRI
BLADE TYPES
Pointed short carving knife Long flat knife similar to chef’s Rectangular meant for bone cutting
28. FEATURES
Locally sourced and
dried wood
BUCKEYE BURL
Copper accent pieces to accentuate
burl wood, and balance the weight of
the knife.
COPPER
High carbon steel holds a hard edge,
yet can still be sharpened at home.
1095 HIGH CARBON STEEL
10 and 15 degree bevel allows for
maximum sharpness and durability
for everyday use
ASYMMETRIC BEVEL
37. Over the past few semesters I have been trained
to become a Type I Wildland Firefighter. I Fought
fires in Nevada, and California the past Summer.
I recieved valuable experience on the front lines
and in-depth research with 19 other firefighters.
THAT’S ME!
38. Solve the problem of confusing and problematic communications
leading to the majority of deaths within wildland firefighting
CONCEPT STATEMENT
39. 107 WILDLAND FIREFIGHTERS HAVE
DIED SINCE 2005
YARNELL HILL
Fire, 19 fatalities
Causes include accidents, entrapments, and burnovers. all as a result of improper
communications in place.
10 ENTRAPMENT
deaths
Fatalities LOW
this year
2013
2015
2010
2008
2005
41. BEING A FIREFIGHTER IS STRESSFUL
DIRTY. Showers and laundry are hard to come by. Every-
thing gets covered in ash, and dirt
Constantly being aware of fire is STRESSFUL Being focused on task at
hand, in a hazardous environment is difficult
Using hose to put out some fires gets you very WET. Hands, legs,
arms, get soaked in water
Everything is HOT. The temperature is hot and dry, and there
are fuels burning all around.
16 hour days are PHYSICALLY EXHAUSTING. Hiking sometimes 10+
miles with 50lbs, uphill takes a toll after two weeks
42. WHAT IS BEING COMMUNICATED?
FIRE WEATHER
and forecasts
Clear concise
INSTRUCTIONS
FIRE LOCATION
and activity
MAINTAIN COMMS
with Personell
Always know
ESCAPE ROUTES
Keep LOOKOUTS
for safety
1
2
3 4
5
6
There are 28 standard orders and situations that Wildland firefighters are
continually communicating, and stating aware of, but these are 6 key points
leading to the majority of communications
43. SO WHY USE THESE RADIOS?
Bendix King Radios have been in use since the early 60’s, and utilitze technologies
from WWII. They are very heavy, and rely on a skilled programmer to set up. Most of
the time, the radio detracts from the work rather than assist.
44. PROGRAMMING KEYPADD
ENCRYPTION TOGGLE
PUSH TO TALK
VOLUME KNOB
CHANNEL KNOB
PROGRAMMABLE TOGGLE
PROGRAMMING SCREEN
BENDIX KING FEATURES
Looking at the various features on the current Radio. Many
unnecessaary buttons, and keypads, add to an
overwhelmingly complex device.
45. Signal strength is deteriorated
while in thick wilderness.
Currently boosters are used, but
an alternative signal would be
better.
Current radios have thousand of
channels, keypads, and numerous
other buttons. Focus is on the fire, not
a Radio
Major confusion and lack of
communication between every
firefighter on ground, air crews,
lookouts, and basecamp
After experiencing wildfires and firefighting firsthand, I was able to clearly conclude three main
problems while trying to communicate with other firefighters.
INTEROPERABILITY COMPLEXITY SIGNAL LOSS
PROBLEMS
46. The initial concepts were made to help present to firemen that I was getting
feedback from on the systems. I focused on the simple 1 button aspect.
SYSTEM CONCEPTS
SATELLITE SYSTEM DRONE SYSTEM LOOKOUT SYSTEM
47. FEEDBACK & RESEARCH
Alice Clips are used currently, but discovered modular TMMS
mounting method used in military. Also researched durable in-
terfaces and found Motorolas active view Display,.
48. SKETCHES
This is where I began finalizing concepts, and developing concrete
concepts based off feedback, and research
49. PHYSICAL MODELING
Figuring out with firefighters which sizes worked best, and how
to carry each device. The radio is ideally carried on the chest,
with the satellite device being more modular with MOLLE clips.
50.
51. EUD (RADIOS) MESSENGER SATELLITE BASE
Every single firefighter carries
one. messaging, mapping, and
tracking capabilities through this
device
Again, every firefighter carries
one along with EUD. Device
allows for emergency contact,
gps tracking, check-ins, and
textual messages
EUD’s not only can
communicate point to point
over frequency, but relay
messages, and other important
information through satellite
Base would have a tablet
showing all data points. Could
also be carried by lookout, or
various other leadership
HOW THE TECHNOLOGY WORKS
52. SIMILAR SIZE
AA BATTERIES
PUSH TO TALK
POINT-TO-POINT
For close range intercrew
communication. Signal doesn’t
have to travel 30+ miles
Firefighters carry other gear running
off AA batteries, keeping with that
was important.
Kept close to current radio
dimensions to adapt to existing
harnesses, and backpacks
Features a single button to talk.
No programming, or screens
WALKIE TALKIE
53. SELECTOR KNOB
POWER BUTTON
LED
Beeps and lights up upon
recieving a message
SIngle press turns device on and off
Changes the channel by pressing
forward, changes the volume by
pressing backwards
WHAT THE BUTTONS DO
54. SATELLITE DEVICE
Universal mounting system offers
modularity for the user. Ability to
clip anywhere on the backpack
Pressing once sends inlocation for
tracking, pressing 3 times alerts as
an emergency
Motorola Active view display is
integrated within Fire resistant
durable plastic
TMMS CLIPS
TRACKING
DISPLAY
55. FIRE INFO
MESSAGING
TRACKING
CHANNELS
Relative Humidity, Temperature, Wind,
and Time. Required info every hour
Able to recieve commands from base, and
translate voice into text for leadership to
give commands
In conjunction with Check-in button, racks
each firefighter and displays their
location along with the fire
Basic channel number, fortactical,
command, crew.
INTERFACES
