SmartStack
SmartStack was a project completed in partnership with Northwestern University Gyms. SmartStack is the spotless storage solution that keeps mats cleaned and organized, lowers infection rates, and keeps patrons feeling safe and secure. Through user research, observation, and surveys it was determined that less than half of gym patrons wipe their mat after they use it. These unclean gym mats lead to the spreading of infections such as MRSA, influenza, ringworm, and athlete's foot. The Smartstack's job is to prevent the spread of these infections. When a patron is done using the mat, they slide it through the waist high slot and both sides of the mat are wiped with bacteria killing solution design specifically for gyms. In order to promote gym patrons using the Smartstack, there are a set of doors on the lower half of the rack that allows users to grab the top clean mat but not place the mat back in the pile without using the slot. The Smartstack is a solution that takes the burden of wiping a mat off of the patron, creates less environmental waste, reduces cleaning time, and sanitizes the entire mat.