1. USH (Masther Thesis)
by: John Hayden
year: 2022/23
Reactiv protectiv uniform for Spontaneous unaffiliated volunteers.
My master's thesis project focuses on addressing the phenomenon of spontaneous unaffiliated volunteering that occurs after natural disasters and humanitarian crises. This phenomenon involves a large number of people who are needed to help and assist in disaster areas, often gathering based on information shared through social media.
While spontaneous volunteering can be helpful, challenges arise due to a lack of communication and coordination with official emergency response teams. Volunteers may perform tasks incorrectly, resulting in additional work for official task forces. An uncoordinated approach can lead to congestion at one location while other areas remain in need of assistance. However, one of th
Existing research has identified three main areas that need to be addressed to integrate spontaneous volunteers optimally into the official structures of disaster response.
Provision of infrastructure for volunteers.
Digital communication between volunteers and official response teams.
Protective gear and visual recognition for volunteers.
Ideation
In the initial phase of the project, extensive research was conducted, and experts in the field of spontaneous volunteering were interviewed to gain valuable insights. These insights were then utilized to develop various design approaches through sketching. The design concepts were aimed at meeting the practical needs of volunteers while also providing a sense of safety and visibility in their work.
Once volunteers register with, they are provided with protective equipment tailored to the task at hand. Different packages are available, each containing the optimal protective gear for the specific task. These garments not only provide protection but also serve as visual recognition aids for official task forces, helping them to identify which volunteers have received a briefing.
Floods can cover vast areas in polluted and often toxic mud, making clearing the mud one of the most labor-intensive parts of the flood cleanup effort. Volunteers are critical in these situations and are needed in large numbers. However, this mud also presents a serious health hazard, as it can harbor diseases and bacteria. To protect volunteers, the uniform uses
a state-of-the-art bioactive laminate textile that changes color and displays a protective pattern when volunteers comes into contact with potentially harmful substances. This serves as a reminder for volunteers, many of whom have no formal training, to be aware of potentially dangerous situations and take appropriate precautions.
Official emergency response teams use another important safety measure known as doffing, which involves the correct method of removing potentially contaminated protective clothing to minimize health risks and prevent the spread of polluted substances. To help volunteers with this process, the concept of doffing is integrated into the volunteers protective gear. A clear color difference distinguishes the contaminated area from the uncontaminated one, and integrated straps and connection loops for the gloves allow the jacket to be partially removed while working, reducing the risk of coming into contact with polluted substances during breaks.
