pipistrellum reclaiming the park 2024|25 Team Project Grand Challenge, Royal College of Art Service: Lighting Design | Service Design | Community Design | Habitat Preservation | Social Security | CAD | Animation As part of the RCA Grand Challenge 2024/25, our team partnered with the London Borough of Harrow to address safety in public parks . Through co-design workshops and interviews at Harrow Recreation Ground , we identified that inadequate lighting diminishes public confidence and limits outdoor activity and commute after dark . Pipistrellum is a solar-powered, bat-inspired lighting system that provides non-glare, amber-hued illumination to preserve nocturnal ecosystems while maximising visibility. Designed for social impact , the system features an integrated SOS panel and community-led monitoring specifically aimed at reclaiming safe spaces for locals, women and children. Ranked among the UK’s most diverse boroughs, with 63.8% of residents from minority ethnic backgrounds . Harrow on the Hill serves as the borough’s historic anchor , retaining original street layouts and heritage-listed structures. Harrow Recreation Ground Map Green Spaces Activity Spaces Circulation Paths Ecological Preservation: Designed to maintain the natural patterns of nocturnal wildlife , specifically the bat colonies native to Harrow Recreation Ground. Adaptive Illumination : Shines a soft amber spectrum to align with low-light environments , minimising biological disruption. Biomimetic Safety: Inspired by the bat's use of echolocation , the street light reflects heightened environmental alertness. Community-Centred Design: The bat colony as a symbol for collective survival , fostering a shared sense of social responsibility. foldiFi Up flux

London November 19 - 20 | 2025 MA Product Design Graduate Show 2025 2025.rca.ac.uk/school-of-design Had the opportunity of exhibiting WATI , my MA thesis project , at the Royal College of Art's 2025 Design Products MA Show at our Battersea Campus . Alongside showcasing my work, I took on the role of bay representative and exhibition organiser for the digital design section , handling layout and poster promo for the bay. My exhibit featured two WATI wearables, one mounted on a custom deigned aluminium plinth with a light ring, inviting visitors to interact with its touchscreen display. Alongside the hardware, two versions of the WATI app MVP ran live on phone and tablet, demoing a looped cool route from the RCA campus to Battersea Power Station to showcase the device and app's core functionality .

x o x o 2022 Team Project University of Edinburgh Service: Educational Spaces | Electronic Design | Glass Blowing | Furniture Making | Glass Casting | Soldering XOXO is an interactive lighting game installation developed by Daniel Torres and myself for our electronics course. Inspired by Tic-Tac-Toe , the project features a 3x3 grid of glass boxes embedded into a custom table . Powered by Arduino , the system uses a button console to trigger dynamic light sequences across various modes, including single-player, two-player, and player-vs-NPC . Players compete to form a row of three by strategically illuminating the grid with their assigned colors. Designed for a kid’s rooms, museums, and Montessori schools , XOXO transforms furniture into a responsive environment that encourages social play . By shifting the classic game into an interactive medium, it fosters memory and color association in younger players. Tic-Tac-Toe is scientifically recognised for developing logico-mathematical. When players navigate the 3x3 grid, they improve visual tracking and perceptual skills that are foundational for reading . Our glass interactive tic-tac-toe game… can be played with one player or multiple players. restarts the game by itself so players can play multiple rounds. is easily portable and can be played anywhere - in a museum, a cafe, at school or at home! can be played in multiple colour variations. can be played in the dark. can be played by users of all ages! tom project Up vika

foldiFi 2021 Individual Project University of Edinburgh Service: Home Appliances | Radio Design | Collapsible Products | Audio Redesign | CAD | Sketching | Prototyping foldiFi is a waterproof radio speaker that combines portability and an analogue-inspired design. The concept for the foldiFi radio was inspired by the foldable structure of the DiFold water bottle . My research focused on how acoustics could be maximised from collapsible designs, specifically focusing on amplifying sound and volume within the product body . foldiFi emphasises the analogue interaction between the user and the device's interface, by engaging in a series of actions such as squeezing, pressing and turning the radios controls , users can adjust the volume, control tracks, and power the device on and off. Unfolding and folding the radio reveals an inner mesh part, serving as the on/off switch . Music enthusiasts can enjoy foldiFi as a radio or use the Bluetooth control at the back to connect and use the device as a speaker . 88% of 35 to 50 years old remain active weekly radio listeners , with the majority of their listening hours consumed via DAB radio sets in their cars or at home (living room / kitchen). Inspired by Dieter Rams’ RT 20 for Braun and Panasonic’s Toot-a-Loop , the radio combines timeless analogue design with a digital interface and a folding form that invites playful , tactile interaction. Design & Materials Versatility & Use Interactions & Controls Home to Outdoor Adaptability Folding - State Control System Soft Touch TPU Exterior Intuitive Folding Interactions Folded: Power Off Semi - Folded : Playback Paused Unfolded: Power On Inspired by Analogue, Refined by Digital Light | Waterproof | Easy Clean Easily Stored | Bottle Shape Universal Symbol Language qb playground Up pipistrellum

aq 2023|24 Product Design BA University of Edinburgh Awards & Publications: John L Paterson Service: UX Research | Electronic Design | Platform Design | Workshop | CAD | PCB Manufacturing | Casting aq is an elegant, compact wearable clip designed to raise air quality awareness worn stylishly with everyday clothing. It empowers informed decisions on commuting routes , ensuring every breath is clean. The attachable light ring displays local air quality via a soft, pulsing glow mapped to the Air Quality Index (AQI) scale . aq caters to everyone prioritizing health, from active commuters and athletes to those with respiratory sensitivities . Designed for life on the go, it attaches to your bag, wrist, belt, or jacket . The Problem In 2024, 97% of Europeans live in 'unsafe' air zones 15% increase in ground-level ozone spikes during 2024’s record heat £1.6 billion annual cost of air pollution to the NHS social care Good 0 - 50 Moderate 51 - 100 Bad 101 - 200 Hazardous 201 > 01 working city commuters - 2.5 x times PM 02 cyclists & courier drivers - 60% higher exposure to PM particles 03 runners & athletes - 10x polluted air intake 04 individuals with sensitive respiratory health conditions - asthma 05 children & elderly - developing or sensitive cardiovascular systems Ergonomics Air Flow Pristine Calibrated Ring Shaped Unobtrusive Flexible CMF Prototyping aq's CMF evolved through user-centered workshops into a minimalist, oval form that prioritizes clear communication and tactile comfort . The design features a white silicone gradient ring that uses pulsing light to signal air quality levels, paired with a dual-attachment system , a clip for clothes and a multi-use strap for bike frames, bags, and indoor use. Batch Production aq was produced in a small-batch prototype using plant-based resin, featuring a clear top and a grey back to symbolically signal air pollution. For durability, the electronics are waterproofed with a silicone encasement, while the custom-cast silicone strap and a tapered clothing clip provide a secure fit across various materials and thicknesses. Electronic Prototyping aq is coded using a combination of Java, C++, and Raspberry Pi , integrating two distinct data-fetching methods for electronic prototyping. First approach uses an on-board personal sensor to measure VOCs, large PM particles, and pressure every 2 seconds , while the second fetches local city station data every 10 minutes via API . Users preferred local sensor integration , valuing a more sophisticated, personalised device with data they could trust in real-time. Hardware Wearability Platform UI Product Ecosystem Bosch Sensor Technology: VOC | PM5 | CO2 Multiple-Attachment System: Clip | Strap | Indoor Monitor Data Visualisation: Bar | Graph | Mapped Custom Packaging: Device | Leaflet | USB-C | Strap Pressure | Humidity Data 8-Hour Battery Life Home Assistant Integration Detailed Setup Guide USB-C Rechargeable 45mm diameter 2 Second Accuracy Material Circularity yoshimura Up tom project

Edinburgh May 31 - June 9 | 2024 BA Product Design Graduate Show 2024 graduateshow.eca.ed.ac.uk Co-created alongside my entire class, the Edinburgh College of Art Product Design Graduation Show was a milestone for the cohort, and the stage for my final-year AQ wearable, a device designed to monitor and visualise air quality in real time, my BA dissertation project . My exhibit featured two prototypes, including a large-scale battery-powered build that ran live air quality monitoring for eight hours daily throughout the show. Visitors could explore an AQ design booklet, play with my first exploded prototype, and test interactive acetone and dust vials against the device, alongside a live Home Assistant demo visualising real-time air quality data in the city. Taking on the role of exhibition organiser and photographer , I helped shape the show's visual identity under the theme Connect , a reflection of the cohort's diverse backgrounds and a shared belief in design's power to connect people with themselves and the world around them. aq design booklet product design grad show catalogue

Multidisciplinary product designer specialising in homeware, IoT , and smart consumer devices . My work combines UI/UX, web, platform and mobile app design, as well as physical product development, advanced rendering and prototyping, with a focus on accessibility and ergonomics . With a background in the startup and makerspace industries , alongside a range of industrial and graphic design work, I bring a novel and user-centered approach to every concept and project. I'm a team player dedicated to creating intuitive experiences for any design studio or company! Experience Product Designer LLcloud, llcloud.eu , startup Jan 2023 - Present, Remote Designs & develops LLcloud's visual identity, branding, website, and Ul for the multi-sensor cloud platform. Supports and leads product design teams for smart technology projects, research and production. Design Researcher Digital Spaces Living Lab 2021 - 2022, Sofia, Bulgaria Data analysis for DSLL project trials, coordinated events and workshops, produced analytical and product performance reports for clients including Shyn, Epic Blue, Loupe, and Vamos. Developed DSLL’s new branding identity and platform. Industrial Designer Tatic Design Studio Mar 2023 - Jul 2023, Lund, Sweden Three-month ID project, developing a branded trio of outdoor cordless camping appliances with advanced 3D modelling, rendering, animation, user research and profiling, creating collapsible origami products. Graphic Designer Memorabilia Pack Ltd. 2022 - 2023, Edinburgh, UK Graphic design internship, awarded through the University of Edinburgh, supported graphic and content creation for curated memorabilia packs/products, packaging design, and print layouting and production. Makerspace Assistant SmartFabLab 2018 - Present, Sofia, Bulgaria I assist with end-to-end operations, from event and workshop planning to organising technical training in digital fabrication machines and electronics. Education Royal College of Arts MA Product Design 2024 - 2025, London, UK The University of Edinburgh BA Product Design 2020 - 2024, Edinburgh, UK Lund University Industrial Design Exchange, Erasmus 2023, Lund, Sweden Software & Tools CAD & Rendering SolidWorks, Fusion360, AutoCAD, Blender, KeyShot, SketchUp UI/UX & Coding Figma, C++, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, Arduino, Dreamweaver Model Making Glass, Wood, Metal, Casting, Textiles, Laser & CNC, SLA | SLS, Soldering Photography & Video Premiere Pro, iMovie, Final Cut Pro Graphic Design Adobe CS (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, After Effects), Procreate AI Tools Midjourney, Perplexity, Notion, Gemini, Loveable

Helsinki November 19 - 20 | 2025 WATI x LLcloud expo slush.org Slush was a milestone moment, my first time showcasing at one of the world's most energising tech and startup events. Talks on AI, design's evolving role, and the future of technology from owners and teams at Lovable, Nothing, Google, Airbus Defence and Space, and Bolt made for an inspiring few days. Sponsored by CASSINI and EUSPA , I demoed WATI , an environmental and sports wearable built to help people move safely through extreme urban heat, born as my MA Product Design thesis at the Royal College of Art. A highlight I didn't see coming: joining the Digital Markets Act presentation alongside EVP Commissioner Henna Virkkunen and Bart Becks of the EIC Board, where LLcloud spoke to how businesses can use the DMA framework . Out of gallery

Explore Ablen - the portfolio of Iana Nikolova, a Product Designer specialising in user-centred solutions, combining evolving product design with wearable tech and IoT for ergonomic, minimalistic, and accessible innovations.