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A collaborative project between the Government College for Women (GCW), Thiruvananthapuram and the College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram (CET), has received a design patent for an innovative ergonomic mobile workstation tailored for fish vendors.
The workstation, weighing under 100 kg, is conceived as both a functional shelter and an art installation, which challenges stereotypes of unhygienic and unattractive fish stalls. Its lightweight frame supports a ventilated roof in order to combine practicality with aesthetics while ensuring mobility and flexibility.
The project was jointly executed by MSc Home Science Extension students of the Department of Home Science, GCW, and B.Arch students of the Department of Architecture and Planning, CET, under the supervision of Sithara Balan V, Associate Professor in Home Science and Karthik Mohan, Assistant Professor of Architecture. Both faculty members had represented the Government of Kerala at the FLAIR International Internship in the University of Southampton and Bournemouth University, UK.
The researchers point out that special emphasis was placed on the needs of women vendors, who form the majority in the sector, though the design remains gender-neutral. The workstation was developed using anthropometric measurements collected from 500 fish vendors in Thiruvananthapuram, including standing height, shoulder height, elbow height, hand length, knee height, popliteal height, arm reach and hip breadth. Such data points informed a design that reduces fatigue, enhances safety and accommodates vendors of varying sizes and abilities.
The key benefits of the proposed design include improved working conditions and reduced physical strain, enhanced productivity and efficiency, better display and presentation of fish, reduced waste and improved sanitation, increased security and protection of valuables, easy mobility and adaptability, and the use of sustainable, refurbished and energy-efficient materials.
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