Owl Outsmart | Backpacking Adventure Security | Professional Work
Alex Shapiro from Owl Outsmart contacted me to design a concept for his outdoor hiking camera - intended as a campsite security device at night and a daytime on-demand recorder. As the Industrial Designer, I developed a rough concept for his investor pitches and social media promotion.
Project Timeline : 3 months
Meet Alex
Meet the hiker, backpacker, adventurer extraordinaire.
Alex is an outdoor junkie, adventure lover, and finds peace with the wilderness, often going on trips by himself.
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When you're alone out there, peace of mind is key - especially at night. You don't want the thought of unfriendly creatures peaking around your campsite. I want to make a camera that helps keep them out.
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Alex Shapiro
Identifying the Opportunity
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The main cameras that people generally use for hiking are the GoPro type ones and trail cameras. There's nothing inherently wrong with them - I'd just like to see a mixture of the two functionalities in one seamless product experience.
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Current Options
Standout Features
The Problem
Alex wants to be able to capture his point of view while hiking, monitor his campsite at night, and trigger an alarm to help scare off potentially dangerous animals. While there are plenty of action and trail cameras on the market, none combine all of these functions in a single, versatile product.
The Direction
Alex happens to be a hobbyist engineer, and came equipped with the basic components and requirements needed for the idea to work. It was up to me to design the visuals and the user experience of the product. During our meetings, we came up with the key goals for the product.
The device should be able to record what's in front of you while hiking.
The user can hit a panic button when in danger.
The device should be able to record the user's campsite surroundings at night.
Needs a mini camera with a fresnel lens.
Needs a prominent 'panic' button.
Needs a piezo buzzer that scares off animals.
Alex wanted to accompany his new product with an 'owl' focused brand. Besides his company name, Owl Outsmart, he didn't have much solidified, but incorporating this vibe into the design was a key constraint.
The Ideation
The Solution
