Designing Virtual Worlds - The Cognitive Map Probe

What does an Industrial Designer do? Design is all around us, yet very few people truly understand the role of an industrial designer. Yet, their work is evident everywhere we look. Architectural, furniture, automotive, textile, graphic and product are all examples of different types of design. The designer is one who gives form to function, one who balances art and technology. Design is expanding in exciting directions as designers address design issues in other disciplines. This paper will focus on one such collaborative project that branches design, rehabilitative medicine and computer science. The Cognitive Map Probe project is the culmination of efforts from many researchers from diverse fields of study. This paper will document its development from a designer’s point of view and will show the techniques and methods used by the researchers to solve the design problems. It will also show the interdisciplinary nature of design and how it crosses over to the field of computer sciences. The paper will provide a guided tour from the early thought processes through to the implementation of solutions. It will hopefully demonstrate some of the abilities of designers and show the positive effects of working collaboratively.