Float

Float

A sketch of a person sitting on a chair, holding a phone, next to a sink with water running.

Float is a completely mechanical bathing bucket that maintains the water level at the top of the bucket, so that elders can easily reach the water without bending

3D rendering of a transparent cylindrical container with a yellow inner lining and a green base, showing inner compartments.

This project reimagines the traditional bathing bucket to make it safer and more convenient for elderly users. Recognizing that many seniors struggle with bending or squatting while bathing, I set out to design a bucket that maintains the water level at the top, reducing physical strain. The early prototypes explored spring and elastic-based mechanisms to raise and lower an inner bucket as the water level changed, keeping the surface consistently accessible.

A vintage hand-crank ice shaver with a bowl on top, a rotating handle on the right, and an ice storage container below.

Design Journey

A large, gray, cylindrical filter drum with metal rings and mesh layers, used in filtration systems.
A transparent plastic container with a blue plastic bag covering its opening, placed on a tiled floor against a plain white wall.
Hand holding a collapsible blue and white fishing bucket with a black strap
A transparent plastic chair stacked on top of another chair, with the top chair's seat inclined and a coiled spring visible inside it, placed against a plain wall on tiled flooring.
Blue and white collapsible water container with an open top and a black strap.
A top-down view of a plastic bucket with multiple metal springs inside, connected by wires, possibly part of a scientific or industrial setup.

Through multiple iterations, I refined the design for better stability and control, eventually developing a full-scale prototype that combined compression and extension springs with a waterproof fabric bucket. Testing at a retirement home revealed minor tilting issues, which I resolved by adding a guiding mechanism to keep the base level. The final design maintained comfort and usability, demonstrating a simple yet effective way to make a common household activity more inclusive for elders.