Welcome to this blog section on my portfolio website for the course Social Robot Design, I am Gijs, currently doing the Master Interaction Technology at the University of Twente. I previously studied at Avans University of Applied Science in Breda where I did my Bachelor's in Communication and Multimedia Design. Just like with Interaction Technology this Bachelor was very broad, but I mostly focused on the product design aspects of projects wherever possible, as this is where my interests lie. I did a lot of physical design wherever possible. I spend a lot of time working on CAD modeling software, 3D-printing, Arduino, programming and electronics design.

During my Bachelor's I did an internship, and after this worked at a start-up called EveryHuman. They design and build perfume machines, these machines can create a custom perfume after the customer completes a type of interactive personality questionnaire. I had the privilege to help work on the design and mechanics of these machines. And got a lot of experience in the more technical aspects of creating such a machine that is also an experience in itself to use. As it is part of this entire experience of creating your own personalized unique perfume.

My hobbies are also centered around this theme of building devices that I want to have for myself. I deeply enjoy creating something tactile and interactive/usable. I enjoy making things that are pretty in their form, but that are also usable.