Vāyu

What it does

Vāyu is a 21st century, international interpretation of Thai cooling herb inhalers, known as yadom. Filled with camphor and eucalyptus, it helps naturally alleviate allergy and heatstroke symptoms - a perfect solution for a changing world while staying stylish

Your inspiration

As a Thai international student, one thing I craved in New York was the punch of my eucalyptus yadom, curing my heatstroke vertigo and stuffy nose. I found myself using it everywhere I went in New York too. My peers from all over the world would always ask to use it in increasing times of heat or pollination - but were hesitant due to its foreign packaging. They, too, were now hooked on its naturally punchy scent. But I found that the packaging of the product was the deterrent to creating an international presence for this product, hence I sought to keep the all-natural herbs but design around globalizing its holistic beneficial properties

How it works

Vāyu works by offering herb "pods" people can buy off the shelves, or refill themselves. These reusable pods are made from a highly dense, clear PLA that can be composted through proper channels. Herbs are sold in 'bullets" with each one lasting roughly 3 weeks and can be refilled through the pods themselves. The handle is ergonomically molded to the human hand, offering discreteness and pocketability when carrying this around. Thai alternatives are packaged in clunky and flashy jars, putting foreigners off. The pods connect to the handle through a magnet locking mechanism. The handle and pods have an orifice through which air can pass and will circulate the herbal properties through the bottom of the handle via the inhaling of the nose. Vāyu's handle is made of aluminum and ceramics, providing stylish, premium and sustainable options suitable to a wide range of tastes and preferences. Most importantly, it is hefty and memorable, ensuring users keep them safe

Design process

I started by analyzing the two brands of Thai yadom that I had, each with different ways of delivering the cooling scent. My exploration had 3 criteria I evaluated them on - longevity, strength and aesthetics. The brands each excelled in a section of the criteria, but fell short on others. It then became clear to me that I had to combine the positives of both brands. One brand kept longevity and strength well using a jar and cap structure and a blend of natural herbs and oils, while the other was pocketable and milder. Here, I was able to determine that natural herbs contributed largely to strength and longevity, but was packaged without concern for design. I then took the liberty of sketching and prototyping many forms that would prioritize pocketability while reducing the amount of herbs, keeping enough to remain strong for a period of time. I tested each design by leaving it out in the open for weeks on end, and the idea of a herb compartment did the best, lasting three weeks in Thai heat. Hence, I finalized the design by sculpting it to the hand and creating a dual material aesthetic, adding to its premium feel and memorability through weight and heft. The clear compartment is to ensure real herbs in all cartridges, inspiring trust and transparency in the consumables.

How it is different

Vāyu's design is unique due to the fact that it is an amalgamation of what is synonymous in traditionally sold options. The methodology for preservation of strength and longevity was taken from the use and containment of the herbs, traditionally in a jar form, while the pocketability was designed with the essential oil stick as a benchmark, showing just how small a dose can get before losing its signature punch. While sustainable versions of these devices exist, examples are clunky and stick primarily to essential oil based refills, something proven in testing to be inefficient and less potent compared to the fresh herb Vāyu seeks to use. Furthermore, market alternatives are designed with the intention of changing one's inhaling habits, whereas Vāyu's ergonomic form factor flows directly into user habits. Hence Vāyu evolves from the traditional yadom, taking its benefits into a synonymous and nationless form - a truly global product designed for efficiency.

Future plans

Future plans for Vāyu is to experiment more with the CMF aspects in order to produce more finishes to suit specific demographics in order to be attuned to the world at large. More herb options can be added in order to leverage their health benefits while using the same device. Options popular internationally include lavender, crysanthemum and saffron - each from differing regions. Domestically, partnerships with herbalists will be explored to offer familiar scents to longtime users as well. Vāyu can begin manufacturing once the aforementioned options have been explored, exploring different methods to produce such a device cost efficiently.

Awards