Aiirlabs Hand Sanitisers
A suite of elegant hand sanitising stations for contemporary office spaces.
Year
Client
2020
Aiirlabs
Brief
Conceive and construct a range of hand sanitiser dispensers for sophisticated commercial and business environments. To succeed in these demanding markets, the product needed to offer:
A sensor operated spray of low-viscosity sanitiser.
Quality materials and fabrication inspired by high-end furniture.
Large capacity for high footfall areas.
Great reliability and simple maintenance.
Outcome
Developed several different sanitiser systems and a novel dispenser system, in response to the Covid-19 outbreak. Three designs were constructed in-house as full-scale working prototypes.
We collaborated with and managed UK electronics engineers and furniture suppliers to bring two designs into small batch manufacture. This was complimented by a range of computer-generated media to help market and sell the solution.
Key Design Features
Innovative sensor operated spray system with alcohol-free sanitiser.
Premium materials with quality carpentry.
Stand alone system powered by batteries.
Huge liquid 10L capacity with modifiable dose amounts.
Responding to Unique Circumstances with our Flexible Design Process
Born from the pressures of the Covid-19 pandemic, Aiirlabs was a startup aiming to enable people to safely return to their workplace by providing sanitising stations. Due to the unique time pressures of this project, we needed to flex our agile design process to support quick delivery of concepts, prototypes, and first batch units.
Of the six product concepts we conceived for the proposed Aiirlabs range, we were able to rapidly deliver two to market in small batch manufacture within just months. This helped Aiirlabs to compete with more established competitors and capitalise on the temporary momentum created by the unique situation of the pandemic.
Approaching a Saturated Market from a More Exciting Angle
Many companies were launching hand sanitisers in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Our challenge with the Aiirlabs range was to stand out through quality and appeal to executive corporate and public environments.
We leaned into constructing modern furniture that acted as statement piece within a space, as opposed to traditionally hidden or industrial objects. We worked with UK furniture manufacturers, using exotic materials, to build a range of products that were unique in their market.
Building Complex Multi-Material Prototypes with our In-House Facilities
Given the unprecedented circumstances of the pandemic lockdown, we benefited greatly from having a capable workshop and a reliable existing supply network. We leveraged these early in the project to fabricate full sized prototypes to illustrate and market the design intention.
Leaning into a mix of local cottage industry and our well-established prototyping network, we were able to manufacture custom parts quickly. These were then modified, fabricated, and assembled in-house using our well-equipped workshop.
Supporting Development, Marketing, and Investment with Computer Generated Images
During development, the Aiirlabs team were busy exploring sales opportunities and formulating their business model. We were able to support this from concept to batch production through the delivery of photorealistic computer renders.
Generating these images not only allowed us to effectively communicate and iterate concepts, but Aiirlabs were then able to start communicating the product to prospective buyers prior to having final product in hand.
