Volta Labs

I worked as a contract industrial designer for Volta Labs, a startup from MIT who develops DNA sequencing technology that aims to automate the laborious DNA extraction process. I design the user experience and exterior housing of the Callisto machine.

Info:

Contract Work
2023 Summer, 9 weeks
Volta Labs

Supervisor/Teammate

Raymond Lin
Gina Zhang Quincy Kuang

Create concept sketches and physical mockups
Design and conduct user testing
Design the internal machine labware

Skills:

Industrial Design; Physical Prototyping

Tools:

Solidworks; Figma; 3D Printing; Model Making

Role:

Research

We conducted observations of DNA extraction process and user interactions with the engineering prototype to understanding their specific pain points, such as difficulty accessing the screen and high demand for cognitive load.

Define Design Criteria

I worked with Volta Lab to define the design constraints for the machine and its internal consumables, understanding the functionalities, user needs, and pain points.

Concept Development

I explored different forms of the machine, taking into account features such as door mechanics, screen placement, machine interior visibility/accessibility.

How do we simplify a complex machine through design while ensuring its accessibility and ease of use?

User Testing

I designed a set of UI for the machine that simulated the DNA prepping workflow and guided the user to interact with different parts of the machine without additional intervention.

Learning:

When building large mockups, modularity is key to efficient transportation and iteration
Understanding the variables of lab bench height and user height is important for good ergonomics

The final housing is made from powder coated aluminum sheet with magnum slate. The door is also aluminum powder coated with graphite black. The interior labware are .injection molded.