This project was an exercise in two things: body fit, and designing for someone other than oneself. To achieve this end, we students were paired up so that each would be the "client" of the other.

From the initial interview with my client, I found that he was a light sleeper. Further dialogue revealed that he had difficulties sleeping at night due to the noise level in his dorm. To respond to this need, I needed to create a device that would partially disable his hearing, enabling him to sleep with fewer sound disturbances. This device would have to fit comfortably yet securely on his head, since it would be worn for extended periods.

• Sound resistand padding and fabric over ears


• Additional sound resistant padding around ears, at border of pads


• Forehead strap holds ear pads without direct skin contact


• Velcro back closure


• Large, comfortable ear pads

My prototype exceeded my expectations. Even though it was intended only to fit my client's specific head dimensions, it was also able to be worn and tested by both instructors who reviewed the project. Because of the cheap materials I used, I did not expect the prototype to be as comfortable as it was- everyone who tried it remarked that the prototype was quite comfortable. As expected, however, the prototype was not very successful at blocking sound, since no significantly sound-resistant materials were used.