AZI
Brand Identity | Motion Design | Product Research and Development
Regeneration Empowerment Modularity
Azi is a company created to provide people with tools to create their own electricity. Using recent thermoelectric technology, the panels allow people to empower their future. The scalable product can allow people to connect and work together while improving their quality of life.
Power Outage
Natural Disasters are an unfortunate consequence of living on this planet whether we like it or not. Until we learn how to prevent them entirely, we must be able to withstand any hits that come out way. Our biggest struggle is trying to save as many lives in the process. While technology has vastly improved throughout the years, there are some downsides to this growth. We are directly depended on electricity to power everything that would save us. But that limited power supply is our real problem. The moment the grid goes down, the clock starts ticking.
Life or Death
In 2017, Puerto Rico was hit by Hurricane Maria and left the whole island without power. Even after a year, many parts of the island still had not recovered. To this day, the island’s power grid still struggles and occasionally fails because of lasting damage and poor electrical infrastructure. Many people were living of gas generators, hand powered generators or just nothing at all.
“Puerto Ricans are now desperately trying to connect the main power arteries to individual homes, and some have resorted to their own makeshift repairs, mounting their own utility poles and stringing up low-voltage transmission lines.”
This is not just localized to tropical Gulf islands. The San Fransisco earthquake of 1989 left large parts of the city without electricity for months and caused $5 billion in damages. The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami had lasting effects for the citizens for years and the Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant took years to get back up and running.
Source
https://www.vox.com/2018/2/8/16986408/puerto-rico-blackout-power-hurricane
Ten Largest Blackouts in US History
Status Quo?
One of the larger problems in these disaster situations is the equipment used to save them. Gas generators need constant fuel to provide electricity. Solar panels are both time consuming to make and expensive to both the manufacturers and customers. Wind generators are unrealistic and unreliable in these environments.
The biggest hurdles when it comes to helping people comes down to cost and logistics. Trying to organize sending out and keeping track of large machines and expensive equipment requires time and people, something which is always lacking in a disaster.
Azimuth
Creating the branding for Azi needed a solid foundation to build off of and low for consistent theming for align with our values. Azi’s core vision is to help and guide people in need, no matter where they around on our world. The term Azimuth applies to both atmospheric terminology and navigational systems, giving Azi its metaphorical northern star.
“It originates from medieval Arabic السموت (al-sumūt, pronounced as-sumūt), meaning "the directions"
“Azimuth is usually measured in degrees (°). The concept is used in navigation, astronomy, engineering, mapping, mining, and ballistics.”
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azimuth
Inside and out
There is no single answer to help everyone. Disasters change depending on time, place, who was affected, and who is responsible for the recovery. The only way to move forward is just to provide another great alternative. Many efforts focus on scaling up what already exists or spending more money. Instead of trying to improve what we already use, Azi builds a new option from ground up and utilizes multiple different tools to provide an all in one product.
Style System
Think Small for Big Problems
Putting together large scale strategies are time consuming and costly, and even be too little too late. Instead Azi instead focuses on the individual and helping their basic needs. The heart of Azi is its thermoelectric panel that creates electricity from the earths heat released during the night.
Empowered
Azi’s most important feature is its scalability. From one to a dozen to even a couple hundred, the panels can be connect to generate enough power to support however many people need electricity. The panels work on tents, roofs, or anywhere where a temperate difference is present. They can help keep lights on, phones working, and bring people together in difficult times.
Handheld Help
The Azi app was created with one main focus in mind: Accessibility. Pair with the Azi system, the app is designed to accessed and operated with as few interactions as necessary. All information needed to effective use the Azi system is accessible right away and easily understandable because using a phone is not high on the to-do list during a disaster.
The Azi App
The main objective of the Azi app is all available on its home screen. The app is a tool more than anything else and is meant to be used quickly and effectively. It covers battery health, weather forecasts, and battery usage stats that allow the user to accurately prepare themselves for any situation. Other useful options on the app include a map downloaded within the app, allowing for navigation without internet connection.
UI Elements
The interface and user experience was built around simple recognition. Buttons fall under one of three categories being a rounded rectangle, pill shaped rectangle or circle. The radius stays consistent the rest of the app to create a coherent product.
The symbols are simple yet effective ways of communicating their use and allow users to quickly navigate the app without any issues. With a few exception, symbols are designed with only stroke visible and no fill. Symbols are not the primary use of this app and therefore are lower within the hierarchy of the interface.
