Currently working with societal challenges as an Interaction Designer at Research Institutes of Sweden.

01

Independent voting for those with a visual impairment

Creating the possibility for independent voting for people suffering from visual impairment or complete loss of sight in assignment of the Swedish Election Investigation 2020. (confidential)

02

Innovating the food value chain of Swedish forest berries

‘Bäräkna’ is a mobile phone application for researchers of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences that makes the inventory work of Swedish forest berries more accurate and efficient.

03

Mobile aid in gender confirmative speech therapy

A new digital tool for gender confirmative voice therapy that can be used stand-alone or as a complementary aid in speech therapy.

04

3D printing with bio-based sidestream materials

Exploring sustainable additive manufacturing with bio-based sidestream materials such as wood from local Swedish industries for future production possibilities.

05

A new travel booking experience for electric aviation

Designing a new flight and travel booking experience for electric aviation in the Northern Scandinavian regions through a web-based platform. (confidential, non-clickable)

06

A real sustainable beehive in symbiosis

Developing an organic beehive that creates the conditions for a symbiotic relation between bees and book scorpios which hunts varroa mites, one of the biggest threats to our bee population.

Gender dysphoria voice therapy

People that want to do voice training in relation to gender confirmation MtF or FtM (Male to Female or Female to Male) have a need for digital aids, currently not sufficient provided by the market.

This digital tool is specially designed for those that undergo gender confirmative voice therapy. The tool can be used for those that want to practice individually as well as those that are visiting speech therapists. The tool is developed in collaboration with Umeå University and Region Västerbotten with support of Vinnova.

Through a series of interactive voice exercises, we offer voice training on different levels, with a specific focus, for specific users MtF and FtM (Male to Female and Female to Male). The exercises are designed in collaboration with a speech therapist and sound designer and distinguishes from other applications in the market by simulating real-life situations in their exercises. During the design process, we used a strong user-centered design approach.

We build the prototype in a digital web environment where it was tested by 38 users (MtF and FtM). Results show that the app can help and ease voice therapy and work as support between sessions. More information on ri.se.

Partners involved in this project

User centered design
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UX design
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Focus groups
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Wireframes
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User test
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Gamification
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Research

UX design

We aimed at making the application playful, inclusive and offering a sense of support during their journey of voice training. The application has a unique interaction, can be customized in style and supports a diary-like function where users can write notes and save voice recordings.

Simulate real-life scenarios

Together with a sound designer I designed exercises that simulate challenges and scenarios that happen in real life, for instance: a dialogue with a waiter in a full and noisy restaurant.

User-centered design process

User input was gathered during a full day design workshop with the target group. Where we brainstormed and prioritized desired features for this application and discussed themes as inclusiveness and adaptability.

National user test

The application was reviewed and analyzed during a four weeks nation wide user test with 38 users identifying with our target group. The test was divided in the topics Identity and journey, Exercises and Program and Tools.

3D printing wood

In 2018, I produced the world largest 3D printed object in over 80% wood together with a colleague.

Wood is one of Sweden’s most important resources with an export value of 145 miljarder SEK (2020). The Swedish forest industry covers timber, pulp, paper and energy production. With these production processes side-stream materials that can be used in for instance additive manufacturing.

Since 2016 RISE has experimented with the possibility to 3D print with wood. In 2018 we managed to produce a vase with over 80% wood fibers, completely biodegradable and without the addition of any plasts.

The research within the topic has been ongoing with strong focus on sustainability, material development and the potential implementations of this technology for society and industry. More information on ri.se.

Partners involved in this project

Additive manufacturing
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3D modelling
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Material design
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Research
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Ultimaker Cura
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Sustainability

World record

This vase (not waterproof) was 3D printed in 2018 and was back then the biggest 3D printed object with a such high wood percentage (around 80%). The object is completely free of plastic and 100% biodegradable.

Experimental 3D printing

We experimented with machine settings, material preparation and properties and hacking the 3D printer to optimize the process for this unique material.

3D modelling and Ultimaker Cura

Designs were made with 3D modelling software and Cura was used to slice the models and made the right setup for the 3D printer.

3D printed birds nest

This prototype was printed to demonstrate the application areas of this material like for instance this customizable 3D printed birds nest.

3D modelling and Ultimaker Cura

Designs were made with 3D modelling software and Cura was used to slice the models and made the right setup for the 3D printer.

Election aid

In the Swedish election today it is not possible for voters with a severe visual impairment or a complete lost of vision to vote for candidates while remaining anonymous.

The ballot papers used in today’s elections are not designed in an accessible way for this group of voters. In order to fully participate in the Swedish elections some voters are forced to ask for help and have to give up their voting anonymity.

This project focuses on an improved independence while voting, for people suffering with a visual impairment. The project was requested by the Swedish election investigation year 2020 and works in close collaboration with SRF (National Association of the Visually Impaired). The project uses a user-centered design process with a strong focus on accessibility and design for all.

We concluded this project with three physical prototypes validated through six user tests, resulting in future recommendations for the future development of a supportive tool will enable voting anonymity for voters with a visual impairment.

More information on ri.se. This project is currently under review by the client and prohibits sharing of project results, images, video and outcomes etc.

Partners involved in this project

UX design lead
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User centered design
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Prototyping lead
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User testing
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Universal design
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3D modelling
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Rapid prototyping
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Interaction design

Universal design principles

The physical buttons in the prototypes have specific colors that are easily distinguishable by people suffering with the most common variations of color blindness. This follows the first principle of the Universal design principles where a design should be useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities.

Symbiotic beehive

Bees are responsible for 65% of the food we eat on our planet. The varroa mite is one of the biggest threats to the global bee population.

The decline of the bee population is primarily caused by human activities like monoculture crop production, the use of pesticides and the spread of illnesses and predators (varroa) with help of humans. Honey bee’s are domesticated animals and are in large parts of the world kept in beehives by beekeepers for their honey production.

My early interest in beekeeping has grown even more since I enrolled for a beekeeping course in 2019. Around the same period I started to research the topic and design a beehive the embraces the natural symbiotic between honey bees and book scorpios, which in its turn is a natural enemy to the varroa destructor mite that threatens the global honey bee population. I have conceptualised and 3D modelled a beehive where bees and mites can live as neighbours as they naturally do.

In 2020 I build an organic beehive based on the principles of natural beekeeping by Warré. The design is inspired by the French beekeeper Warré (1867-1951) but with the necessary modifications for the colder climate in the North of Sweden. The beehive is only using local, natural materials.

3D modeling
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Sustainability
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Product design
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Planet-centric design
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Fusion 360
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Prototyping
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Wood working
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Research

3D model in Fusion 360

The beehive was designed in 3D with Fusion 360 and is adjusted for the Swedish climate by for instance double walls with a natural wood fiber insulation material in-between.

The colony moving in

The beehive is made with local Swedish pine wood and can keeps the colony warm even with a -30 degree celcius drop in winter time. The green roof however did not survive these temperatures and is later rebuild without sedum and thyme.

Symbiose with book scorpions

Book scorpions belongs to the group of the spiders and are completely harmless to humans and to the bees. These hunters are fond of eating mites, lice, bee-lice, varroa-amphibians, wax-moth larvae and beetle-larvae and can play an important role for the health of the honeybee colony. However, in some countries the book scorpions are already on the list of highly endangered animal species.

Pseudoscorpion Photo: J.A. Neethling

Natural beehive

I aim to create natural conditions for the honeybee colony to live with little beekeepers interference, a hive build of natural and local materials and taking a minimum of honey at the end of the season, leaving enough to survive the winter on their own supplies.

Forest berry inventory app

In the region Västerbotten in the North of Sweden more forest berries are picked compared to the whole country of Finland.

The vast Swedish forests offer a big economical potential in forest berries that is currently not made use of. On one hectare forest normally grows 600 kilo blue berries that sell for a kilo price of 20 Swedish crowns, this is comparable to the value of the wood that grows in the same area.

During a average berry year more than 500.000 tons of wild berries are growing in the Swedish forests. Approximately 3/4 of those berries grow in the Northern parts of Sweden. Half of the picked blueberries are exported to Asia, especially China.

We created the mobile application ‘Bäräkna’ for the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) to support their berry inventory activities for research purposes. This work is part of a bigger project with the focus to innovate local food chains and sectors throughout Europe.

More information on ri.se.

Partners involved in this project

UX design lead
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Programming
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CSS
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React JS
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Sustainability
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App development
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Digital platforms
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Research

3 main functions

The application has three major functions, a map view with locations pins, a table with a list view of all the observation and possibility to add new forest berry observations.

UX design

The interactions with the application are adjusted for outdoor usage with big buttons, simple menus and contrasts between different interaction elements.

Icons and UI design

To increase the interaction speed while adding new observations, we used icon references (eg. berry development stage or amount of berries) and images and colors that refer to the berry species.

Outdoor user-test

During a period of two week, over 200 observations from different GPS locations were made from berries, plants and flowers by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) in Umeå to test the application in the field.

Currently working with societal challenges as an Interaction Designer at Research Institutes of Sweden.

01

Independent voting for those with a visual impairment

02

Innovating the food value chain of Swedish forest berries

03

Mobile aid in gender confirmative speech therapy

04

3D printing with bio-based sidestream materials

05

A new travel booking experience for electric aviation

06

A real sustainable beehive in symbiosis

Get in touch!

contact@ronaldhelgers.com +31640861354

Partners involved in this project

Partners involved in this project

Partners involved in this project

Partners involved in this project