Reveal Imaging

My work as a designer with MSL Design has focused primarily on Reveal Imaging's line of explosive detection systems (EDS). I joined the MSL Design team shortly after the introduction of the IDEA award winning CT-80 EDS. The CT-80 is used primarily in airports for baggage screening. My role has been to support continuing development of Reveal's product line. Unforunately, non-disclosure obligations prevent me from being able to include many specific examples of this work here. I can, however, describe some projects in general terms.

Design Research

Reno Project Research Poster
Reno Project Research Poster
One of my main jobs on the MSL Design team has been to lead design research efforts in support of CT-80 product marketing and development. I planned, managed, documented and presented three major field research efforts:

  • Reno/Tahoe International Airport: Five week study in which we evaluated the CT-80 system in a working airport check-in counter environment. Outcomes included statistical analysis and design recommendations. My colleagues and I received first place in the Creative Arts category of the 2006 California State University Student Research Competition for this work. The research poster that I designed (screen quality PDF) describes some of the primary outcomes.
  • Manchester International Airport: Four week field test in Manchester, UK of the CT-80 as part of a live passenger checkpoint. I was Reveal's primary on-site agent during the trial. Outcomes included statistical analysis, process modeling, and operational recommendations.
  • San Francisco International Airport: Two week research activity at SFO's passenger screening checkpoint. Designed and managed a statistical study of time-motion patterns, operator procedures, and operational efficiency. Design observations were used to inform Reveal's next generation user interface.

User Interface Design

I have been involved in a number of user interface projects for Reveal, for both the current CT-80 as well as new products. The CT-80 poses interesting UI challenges due to its multiple interfaces (an integrated touchscreen LCD in addition to a networked computer terminal). Our UI designs covered information architecture, iconography, machine control, and threat image evaluation. I was the primary author of multiple UI design specifications.

Industrial Design

I have contributed to continuing work on the industrial design of the CT-80 and related products. Much of this work was done in SolidWorks, sometimes interacting directly with Reveal's internal mechanical engineering team. Other responsibilities have included working with and evaluating potential third party components and manufacturers. 

Process Modeling & Simulation 

Checkpoint simulation screenshot
Checkpoint simulation screenshot
Much of the design work for Reveal's product line focuses not on the objects themselves, but rather how they fit into the complex, dynamic system of a security screening environment. To get a better understanding of these systems and provide a rigorous foundation for design decisions, I developed a number of process models using a discrete simulation software package called Extend. These models were used to design, test, and validate various schemes for organizing screening systems based on Reveal's products. Although this sort of work is founded largely in statistics, operations research, and computer science, we believe that it became a critical part of our overall design process.

Design Specifications and Documentation

I have been the primary author and/or manager of the extensive design documentation required for many of our projects with Reveal. This documentation includes detailed design specificaitons as well as research reports. Often times, this work required soliciting and managing input from multiple participants both inside and outside the company. Unfortunately, I cannot provide samples of this work as it is considered proprietary and/or security sensitive information.

 
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