Released on: September 26, 2008, 12:14 pm

Press Release Author: Cindy Stranad / HumanCentric

Industry: Industrial

Press Release Summary: HumanCentric was recently recognized as a judges’ favorite in
the CityRacks Design Competition held in New York City. The contest was held as part
of an effort to promote greener transportation modes among New Yorkers.

Press Release Body: CARY, N.C. (September 26, 2008) – HumanCentric
(www.humancentric.com), an integrated product design and development company, was
recognized in the CityRacks Design Competition as one of the judges’ favorite
submissions. Held in New York City, this honor was given to less than four percent
of entries. The contest was part of an effort to promote greener transportation
modes among New Yorkers.

HumanCentric’s multidisciplinary team included industrial and graphic designers;
design engineers; and human factors practitioners, all dedicated to elevating
bicycle usage. The team has begun looking at ways to leverage their work for the
Cycle Spot design in the Triangle.

“We are excited about the possibility of seeing the design on our local streets,”
said Alex Hussain, design engineer at HumanCentric. “The CityRacks competition has
given our team the opportunity to improve the design with aspirations of one day
seeing it in the Raleigh-Durham community.”

With an emphasis on usability, ease of manufacturing and refined aesthetics, the
team designed a bike rack that focused on the basic need to secure and stabilize the
bike frame from multiple points. Branded as the Cycle Spot, the design included a
plan for color-coded signage based on neighborhood location of the rack, as well as
iconic instructions for locking a bike properly. The team also explored materials
and finishes that were environmentally friendly, such as stainless steel, a 100
percent recyclable material.

About HumanCentric:
HumanCentric is an integrated design and development company with a foundation based
on the commitment to make user-friendly products by studying and understanding the
end user. HumanCentric leverages Human Factors, Design Research, Industrial Design,
Graphic and Interaction Design and Design Engineering to simplify and enhance user
experiences. At HumanCentric, the goal is to understand how users interact with a
product or system and translate that understanding into a compelling
solution-blending form with function, utility with usability, safety with
satisfaction. HumanCentric is headquartered in Cary, North Carolina with a regional
office in Chicago. Visit www.humancentric.com.

About the CityRacks Design Competition:
The CityRacks Design Competition, part of New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s
PlaNYC, hopes to promote greener modes of transportation and encourage more New
Yorkers to begin two-wheel commuting around their city. The competition was
sponsored by the New York Department of Transportation and the Cooper-Hewitt
National Design Museum. Patricia E. Harris (First Deputy Mayor of New York City),
Ellen Lupton (Curator of Contemporary Design at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design
Museum), David Byrne (Musician/Artist/Cyclist) and Steve Madden (Editor-in-Chief of
Bicycling Magazine) were among the judges for the competition. Entries can be viewed
at http://nycityracks.wordpress.com.



Web Site: http://www.humancentric.com

Contact Details: Media Contact:
Cindy Stranad
919.232.5008
Cindy@articulon.com