nest
.
organizing play, one birdie at a time.
A dual-compartment badminton birdie organizer that reduces courtside clutter, helps players stay organized on the go, and improves game flow by making it easy to store and retrieve birdies without interrupting play to build better habits.
Year
Fall 2024
Timeline
4 weeks
Software
Photoshop, Illustrator, Solidworks, Keyshot
Background
Badminton players often carry two tubes of 12 shuttlecocks, but slightly worn birdies are frequently tossed aside, creating clutter, interrupting play, and causing unnecessary waste. The issue comes not from carelessness, but from the lack of an intuitive system to manage birdies efficiently during matches.
After matches, players and staff manually sort used birdies to source them for practice or to discard. This process is time consuming, creates secondary clutter, and contributes to waste.
“97% of feather shuttlecocks are discarded after just one use, sometimes after a single hit”
The Badminton World Federation recently introduced rules to prevent players from delaying the serve by leaving the court, requesting birdie changes, or holding up play to disrupt opponents focus.
Existing Systems
Standard Shuttlecock Tubes
Traditional cylindrical tubes holding 12 birdies, placed on the floor or against a wall during play.
Pro
-
Lightweight
-
Portable
-
Affordable
-
Easy to manufacture
-
Familiar to players
Cons
-
No separation of new vs. used birdies
-
Easily roll or tip over
-
Create clutter on sidelines
-
Require bending down to access
Open Basket / Shared Container
A larger container where all birdies are placed together during practice or matches.
Pro
-
Quick access
-
Holds large quantity
-
Centralized storage
-
Easy to refill
Cons
-
Mixes all birdie conditions
-
No quality distinction
-
Encourages discarding on floor
-
Looks unstructured
-
No integration with court infrastructure
Floor Scattering
Used or slightly worn birdies are tossed to the sidelines and reused manually when needed.
Pro
-
Fast during rallies
-
No setup required
-
Zero cost
Cons
-
Disrupts flow
-
Creates visual clutter
-
Leads to unnecessary waste
-
Hard to distinguish usable vs. damaged
-
Unprofessional appearance
Exploration
I explored different concepts via sketching and prototyping
Once I had a concept I liked, I built a cardboard prototype for the pole attachment and the housing that would hold the acrylic tubes. To refine the shapes and details, I applied paper mache, which allowed me to smooth surfaces and test proportions. After iterating on the physical model, I 3D modeled a functional prototype using TPU and PLA, combining flexibility and rigidity to test usability and material behavior.
Use Cycle
attach
to pole
put birdies in one of the dispenser
tubes
dispense
new birdie
put used birdies in the other tube
after matches
detach from pole
Put lids
back on
Put lids
back on
User Testing
I conducted usability testing to understand how players interact with the shuttlecock dispenser during real gameplay. This included evaluating the handheld form for comfort and portability, refining the loading and retrieval mechanics, and exploring mounting options on the pole. Observing players during practice sessions allowed me to evaluate ergonomic reach, game flow efficiency, and my product's effectiveness in reducing clutter, ensuring the design supports intuitive and seamless in-play shuttlecock management.
FINAL DESIGN
nest
The final design is a dual tube birdie organizer that attaches to the net pole and separates new shuttlecocks from used ones. By creating a clear system during games, to reduce clutter on the sidelines and allows players to stay focused without interrupting the flow of play.
The lid setup allows players to close one tube for collecting used birdies while leaving the other side to store new birdies open, reinforcing proper sorting behavior during fast-paced rallies.
For portability the bracket hinge can be useed as a handle to carry both tubes and can be detached from the bracket, turning the connector into a handle for carrying a single tube, making it easy to transport birdies independently.
Dual Compartments
The dispenser organizes both new and used shuttlecocks within a modular dual-tube system.
Mounting & Portability
The two tubes are connected by a central bracket that attaches securely to net posts and to bags. to keep shuttlecocks off the floor and within easy reach.
Material & Form
The clear tubes allow players to easily see both new and used birdies at a glance, while also keeping the system visually lightweight
The curved form enhances ergonomics for quick access and interaction making it comfortable to carry, while also reflecting the speed and motion of badminton, creating a sense of energy and movement.
