Hydrawise HC Smart Irrigation Controller

Charlwood Design were approached by Hydrawise back in 2013 to re-design the controller housing for their Smart Watering and Irrigation system. Hydrawise had previously been using an OTS housing for their main controller unit, but after experiencing some growth, felt they needed to create something unique to represent the same level of intelligence and sophistication that their software and system design displayed.

The Hydrawise system allows users to manage their irrigation controller from anywhere worldwide using a smart device or web browser. Predictive watering adjusts schedules based on forecast temperature, rainfall probability, wind and humidity using a vast array of weather stations around the world. The system can setup for everything from a small courtyard to a large vineyard.

Our brief was to create a simple, low cost, water resistant housing that stood out from the competitors and was easy to install. The finished product met all criteria, and helped boost Hydrawise sales three fold. In addition to the controller, Charlwood Design also helped to develop the user interface for future use.

In 2016 Hydrawise was acquired by irrigation giant Hunter Industries, fantastic news for the small Australian technology start up.

For more information on this product, head over to the Hunter Industries website – hunterindustries.com

 

Smartphone Data Capture System

A rugged, external hardcase with barcode and signature capture for BlackBerry Smartphones. This is a complete system including a charging docking station and belt holsters. Engineered to last – This product can be driven over with a 4 wheel drive and still function.

We took the product from concept design to production tooling in 10 months. The complete housing and injection moulding tooling was managed by Charlwood Design.

Incontinence Monitoring System

This class 1 medical product is designed to improve the quality of life for people suffering incontinence and help reduce the cost of clinical care in the community. This product has recieved a number of awards including a GOOD DESIGN AWARD from The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and a Dupont Innovation Award.

A monitor is worn by the patient and it uses a wireless mesh network to communicate through nodes to the base station. The units are recharged through a docking system. Charlwood developed the units and managed the injection moulding production.

Queen’s Baton

Charlwood Design was selected to design the 2006 Commonwealth games Queen’s Baton which was used to carry the Queen’s message by thousands of runners from Buckingham Palace to Melbourne, passing through 71 Commonwealth countries. 71 lights on the front of the baton represented nations of the Commonwealth that the baton visited on its journey to the games.

It featured world first digital and communication technology and a distinctively modern look, with the tension and form of its slender frame reminiscent of an athlete’s body. Charlwood conceived the theme of the relay, designed the baton, supplied the technology and managed the manufacture. It was a complete ‘turnkey system’, and ran for a year flawlessly.

To find out more about the Queen’s baton relay please visit the official website of the 2006 Commonwealth games.

Insulin Inhaler

Designed for Nanotechnology Victoria, this innovative device uses replaceable cartridges of insulin that is vaporised in to Nano particles for inhalation. Charlwood design assisted in the transfer of the unique technology from the lab to the market, demonstrating the potential form of the device.

The development of this product has been featured in a Design Victoria Case Study.

Stage Management Desk

The show must go on! The stage management desk controls everything to do with the performance at the venues in the Sydney Opera House in both the front and back of house. The six existing units were well past their use by date and needed to be replaced with a state of the art design to serve for the next 20 years.

Winner of the 2012 Melbourne Design Award for best business and technology product, Charlwood’s solution is a flexible and functional desk that houses all the control equipment and interfaces within a beautiful and ergonomically designed console.

Stage Automation

Charlwood has designed and engineered three generations of stage automation equipment. Highly valuable devices designed for low volume production with a range that includes a wireless handheld device and a large scale controlling desk. This equipment must be extremely reliable as “the show must go on”!

Hotel Door Locking System

Charlwood Design worked collaboratively with the client on both the design and engineering of the mechanism and card reader. The design had to allow the card reader to be mounted proud of the door eliminating the need to cut a rectangular hole in the door.

We completed extensive Stress Analysis to confirm that the large die-castings would withstand attempts to force the door lock open.

Advertising Hand Dryer & Signage

A product range of washroom adverting signage and audio visual hand dryers. Charlwood developed the dryer, sound system and play back technology with our partners to supply a complete solution. The units are IP rated and Vandal resistant and the hand dryer plays ads only when in use.