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Aaron Moulton Intelligent Home Accessories Technology ⎢⎢ Style ⎢⎢ Poetry Jon Kolko

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Table of Contents Project Introduction Page 4

Phase One Phase Scope Page 7 Style and Technology Page 7 Target Venue & Audience Page 10 Observational Research Page 11

Information Models Page 15 Information Interpretation Page 17 Commonalities Page 17 Direction Opportunities Page 18

Phase Two

Phase Scope Page 20

Direction Statement Page 20

Target Audience & Persona Page 21

Trends/ Fashion/ Technology/ Style Page 24

Idea Visualization Page 27

Chosen Concept Page 28

Concept Refinement Page 34

Life Tiles Page 48

Phase Three

Phase Scope Page 49

Design Re-evaluation Page 49

Charging Page 52

Redesigned Charger Page 54

Model Creation Page 58

Renderings Page 59

Instruction Page 66

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Phase Four

Scope Page 74

Scenario development Page 75

Scenario 1 Page 79

Scenario2 Page 81

Scenario 3 Page 84

What makes an Interactive Product Poetic? Page 87

Reflection Page 88

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Introduction

As digital technology becomes smaller and more affordable, the concepts of beauty and accessorizing will

evolve to incorporate and integrate various abilities that were previously unavailable. Cell-phones, PDAs,

pagers and laptops are beginning to articulate style, yet they not evolved dramatically from the “beige

boxes” of the late 90s. The designer’s role will soon change from simply “designer” to “experience

designer”, and the products they design will begin to integrate more firmly into the lives of their owners.

They will stop being accessories and will become objects central to daily activity, and their form and

function will change to reflect the style of their primary user.

Intelligent home accessories is a chance to develop the next generation of products and accessories,

merging visionary product design with rich digital design. The result is a truly interactive product design.

The Design Process

The project will be attacked with a strict methodology, being split into four phases:

1. Research and definition - researching existing preconceived notions of the target and

observing a chosen target audience, then synthesizing that information into a design

direction.

2. Concept visualization and selection - visualization of that directions’ potential, then the

eventual selection of a concept and its refinement.

3. Model and prototype construction - built to gain information on potential flaws and

successes to further refine the design.

4. Finalize - Visualize situations of use and present final idea to client.

The design process is not normally set with such definite deadlines for thought progression; this is due to

client demand.

Project Objective

Develop an interactive and fashionable household accessory that marries the upper-middle class

perception of beauty and style with the practical potential of new or emerging technology. The product

must provide a poetic experience through the aforementioned marriage as to facilitate enjoyable and

extended use. There are three potential venues for introduction, the kitchen, the bathroom and the

backyard, on of these must be selected.

Project Constraints

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The project has a number of factors that must be taken into account for it to be considered a success.

• Time – The project must be completed within 10 weeks of the initial meeting

• Rigid Process – The project has been split into four phases of development

• Venue – The developed product must fit into one of three venues (Kitchen, Backyard,

Bathroom.)

• Interactive – The product must have an element of intelligence embodied inside a level

of interactivity.

• Upper-Middle / Upper class – A definite target audience has to be successfully reached.

• Poetry: The product must exist, perform an action or have a relationship in a poetic

manner.

• Components – The design must incorporate both a digital and a physical component.

It is accepted that other constraints may present themselves as time progresses, but if this set are not

observed then the project fails immediately.

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Phase One

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Scope

Centering on the stated objective, investigate the current and forthcoming trends in style and the

improvements in technology to build an awareness of the eventual potential of the idea. Utilize that

information to find the specific audience and domain that the product will be introduced too, and then

analyze a target market through contextual research to provide an understanding of the views and

attitudes of that market in regard to style, beauty and technology.

Style and Technology

Style

Research was performed into what style and technology mean to society. This was done to gain a level of

basic understanding into the role they both play in people’s everyday lives. All interpretations of these

words were welcome to provide a dynamic view of their importance. Style indicated a sense of

convergence between three elements: Identity, confidence and control. Style relates to confidence, as

those who are confident are not afraid to demonstrate an individual sense of style. This invokes a strong

feeling of personal identity, and those who are confident in this identity are not afraid to express it. The

final element is evident through the desire of people to manage what parts of their personality people see,

having that control provides people will security and in turn happiness.

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Technology

Technology appeared to have a similar triangular relationship, but between different elements. It is almost

impossible to find something that was created without the influence of technology today. As time

progresses it has started to weave itself into society at a very fundamental level, our very survival

dependent on the advances we have experienced. Advances occur now at such a rate that now when they

are announced there is an element of complacency from the society that must no rely on to feed our ever-

growing population, and please our more demanding households. Technology is a cross between

knowledge, need and control. Knowledge due to the requirement of humanity to further its’ own

intelligence. Need as a driving force of advancement. Control comes into play again due to mans’ need to

have influence.

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Relationship

Technology and Style have a common factor: Control. Control is an everyday occurrence to humanity. It

comes in many forms: the car you drive, the clothes you wear, and the food you eat. This model helps to

get a grasp of how the elements of our society are interlinked and how, if one element should change too

much, the repercussions would ripple out and affect other things.

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Target Venue

Three venues could be chosen to introduce the final design. The class all decided however that it would be

wiser to consolidate our research efforts so that a large pool of data could be built. To do this a venue

would have to be selected that would appease all parties. An impromptu meeting was held and venues

were eliminated. The bathroom was eliminated as all parties agreed getting research would be difficult.

The backyard was eliminated as all felt that due to the cold spring March and April weather, people would

be opposed to going outside. The kitchen was then left and selected as the focus for all efforts. .

Assumptions and imagery depicting society’s view of this environment were arranged on walls to provide

to provide a basic idea of the domain; these were then commented on via post-it notes

Target Audience

The target audience for this project was the Upper / Upper middle class. This was provided to us by our

client, Jon Kolko, this audience was fixed and would not be changed. Assumptions and imagery depicting

society’s view of these classes were arranged on walls to provide a basic idea of the audience.

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Observational Research

Our research needed to be based on facts, so actual problems could be seen and then realistic solutions

can develop. Through the existing networks of friends and families of class members a number of

households that met the target audience were found. These people would then recommend other

households for the research; due to this occurrence there was little trouble with locating willing

participants. To accent these households a notice was posted on Craig’s’ list, an Internet local reference

entity, to attract people outside of the network, one couple responded to this and they were included in

the research.

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The Danforths

Mike and Janet

The Danforths are a couple that live on the corner of Brady St and Whitaker St. They were contacted

through Craig’s’ List and the meeting seemed promising due to the fact that the husband was a former

professional chef. They have a low income as they are both currently trying to go to college. They used to

live in a trailer home and have only lived in their current home for 2 months. They have three cats; they

grow their own herbs and have compost for fertilizer. Mike has Cancer so that affects his life in a variety of

ways, mainly with his relationship with Janet.

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The Sadlers

Graham and Dori

The Sadlers are a couple that own a house on Lincoln St in between Bay Street and Congress Street. They

have 2 children: Will, 13 and Kate, 16. They were contacted through a classmate and were extremely

willing to participate. They have one cat that they do not allow on the countertops. They have an

extremely stable income: Graham is a realtor, and Dori is a lawyer and they both have offices one block

from their home. They are extremely proud of their home, and have just completed a series of

renovations. They have a water cooler because they are both used to them from the office.

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The Regans

Tim and Emmy

The Regans are a couple that live off of Habersham Street, beyond DeRenne Avenue. They have four

children, only two were home: Grace, 16 and Molly, 13, the other two are at college out of state. They

have three dogs, which they say are very obnoxious. They recently renovated their kitchen and are

extremely proud of it and they love to talk about it. They have a cork collection from all the wine they

have drank over the years. Their sink is surrounded by objects that have deep stories behind them.

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Information Modeling

Observational research is an effective way to gather accurate information on how the target audience

actually interacts with their environment. The amount of information contextual research gains is daunting

to those outside of the design team. The relevant information is normally hidden underneath layers of

information that is not relevant; information modeling provides a way for people to separate the useful

from the surplus. With information modeling everything is visualized, people and objects are placed in

position relative to use. Relationships are labeled in terms of what actually happened, why this happened

and how it is a design inspiration.

The modeling session spawns large chaotic lattices of line and color.

The models are cleaned up as to better communicate the information to those outside of the design team.

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Information Interpretation

The amount of information gleaned from the research was intimidating, but after reviewing the

interpretation models certain patterns started to emerge. They spawned a number of questions that

seemed to go begging for answers.

• What does it mean to have culture?

The Sadlers and the Regans were obsessed with that people viewed them as cultured.

They communicate this through their preoccupation with wine and travel.

• Why are people so concerned with hiding things?

Everyone seems preoccupied with their self image. The rich want everyone to think they

are refined and cultured. The less fortunate want everyone to think the are more

fortunate.

• Why do the wealthy surround themselves with single purpose objects?

The wealthier households had more tools and appliances than they need. The Regans

have more spoons for specific purposes. Caviar spoons, olive spoons etc

• Why do the wealthy transfer housekeeping responsibilities?

The wealthier people are, the more they think that they do not need to do the simple

maintenance and chores that other people do.

• Is the only class difference in kitchens finish and materials?

All the kitchens were basically the same, just differentiated through the level of finish

and the quality of materials used.

Commonalities

Each household had their own set of individual behaviors, but there were a number of common threads

throughout all of the homes.

Control - Food, environment, company

Cleaning - Need to keep things clean (rich for appearance, poor for longevity)

Memories - Desire to have glimpses of the past at close hand

Facades - Desire to hide undesirables

Companionship - Desire to be surrounded by love

Pride - Achievement or possession of an object

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Direction Opportunities

The interpretation had spawned a number of commonalities; these would be used as a guide for refining a

direction. These were used in such a way due to the integral role they all played throughout all of our

researched households.

Control

Food, environment, company: People try to place an element of control over

everything in their lives. The control meets a basic need; it provides them with a feeling of

security.

Cleaning

Need to keep things clean (rich for appearance, poor for longevity)

The rich rarely clean their homes themselves, but need to maintain the appearance of clean. The

less fortunate clean themselves, but this is to preserve appliance longevity.

Memories

Desire to have glimpses of the past at close hand

Providing windows to the past allows people to experience the reenactment of pleasant

experiences. Displacing them from their current environment.

Facades - Desire to hide undesirables

Facades allow people to manipulate what other people see/ think and understand of them

Companionship - Desire to be surrounded by love

By having another sentient being to love and care for, people feel reciprocal caring. This

improves their standard of living and their eventual productivity.

Pride - Achievement or possession of an object

The collection of items is a common thread in many homes, for some people having these objects

fulfill people with a sense of achievement, a sense of individuality. That no one has the same

objects, so no one has the same lives.

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Phase Two

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Phase Scope

To develop an innovative design solution directed by the project constraints and the contextual research

performed in phase one. Both standard Industrial design techniques and interaction design tools are to be

combined to attain this goal. The result from this phase should be able to be traced back directly to the

domain research.

Direction Statement The project is centered on two beliefs:

- That people need companionship and love to lead a fulfilling life.

- That people are comfortable when they feel in control

It will utilize the discovered desires for control and companionship to develop an enjoyable and beautiful

product for the kitchen. The finished design will have used nature either as the inspiration for itself, or as

the facilitator of any relationship that if forms with the user, behaving intelligently and responsive to the

users’ behavior.

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Target Audience & Persona

The target audience identified in the previous phase was upper-middle and upper class citizens. This

target audience expects the best of materials, technology and fashion. They generally have a large

amount of expendable income, but also substantial maintenance fees for their homes and cars as well.

Those that fall into this grouping are usually guilty of trying to outdo their peers, in terms of material

possessions and social standing. People all desire the best and newest item on the market; these people

actually live in a reality where the wealth is available to buy them. To understand this audience better, a

persona couple was developed. To aid in catering the design to a specific audience, all of the research is

consolidated to form a persona. This persona will help to drive the design, as to understand how the

concepts can change the way they live. Personas also help in humanizing the design, helping the it relate

more to the client or other observer providing a common model that all parties involved in the

development can refer to.

Mr. & Mrs. Fletcher

Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher have been married for 26 years and recently moved to New York City, in a tall

apartment complex in Manhattan. They have two children: Jessica, 24, a senior at Brown studying

biological science; and Robert, 22, a senior at Vanderbilt studying law. They miss the lively atmosphere

they used to have when their children were teenagers, but have tried to recreate the energy by

downsizing in space and buying two cats, Ginger and Jojo. They are pleased to be in New York, but

experiencing nature withdrawal due to their move from Asheville.

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Michael Fletcher, 51

Michael Fletcher is 51 and has recently been promoted to President of AON North America, and forced his

wife to move from their home in Asheville to NYC. He enjoys the big pay rise as now he has no need to

worry about the financial security of his family, but was hoping it would allow him to stay rooted in New

York. The new job has actually added to his international traveling, taking him to London, Denver and

Bermuda on a weekly basis. He tries to compensate for his lack of presence by purchasing expensive

goods for his family. He caters to their every need and recently bought every one of them a new car to

ease the pain of leaving the home they had lived at for 20 years. In his spare time he enjoys wine and

loves to ski, even if he is not exactly a professional, even though he might be a self proclaimed one.

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Caroline Fletcher, 47

Caroline is 47 and loves her children. She is a high school teacher at Murphy H.S. and finds it extremely

hard to battle with obnoxious high school students day-in day-out. To escape the circus that she

experiences from 8am – 3pm every day she has a sanctuary that she visits. When she cannot physically

go anywhere, she lies on her back and stares at the sky, and performs a Swedish breathing exercise to

calm her. She finds that she has been doing this more and more, her therapist thinks that it is one of two

things causing her stress. The longing she has for her children to be around her or paranoia over the affair

she left behind in Asheville. She missed her garden and wants to buy one of the obscenely expensive

garden lots on her roof. As her children are away now she gets to travel more and more with her husband,

get to go all over the world and Monaco is her favorite place in the world. Her husband senses the growing

space between them and attempts to fix it through bombarding her with gifts.

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Trends

The target audience must have the best in materials and latest in technology. This leaves them highly

susceptible to being slaves and sheep to the consumer culture. With the money available to them to spend

they have a more advanced, in terms of speed not intelligence, cycle of use. As soon as a product seems

like it is outdated they hunt for a replacement that is stronger, faster or sexier. There seems to be three

major trends to be observed in home living:

Nature: Utilizing nature to soften their homes (plants)

Memories: Surrounding themselves with photographs of past memories to perhaps displace them

from their environment. (Children, Holidays)

Experiences: Placing significant experiences that have occurred on display for all to see shows

pride and also the desire to stay ahead of their friends. (Weddings, Celebrity encounters)

The desire for nature is seen everywhere. Fake plants inside an office building, small pot plants in a home,

a park in the middle of a city. It is recognized that being exposed to nature has a certain therapeutic value

to it, calming the nerves and allowing the body to relax. Having a yard is a basic acceptance of this, by

owning and using it the body displaces itself from the painful metropolitan problems of the workplace,

allowing it to calm.

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Fashion & Technology

Technology is becoming increasingly more important as it transforms into an accepted fashion item.

Already accepted forms of this cross breed are cell-phones, cars, and the unavoidable I-pod.

Once reserved as the realm of the geek and only able to be used by a small percentage of the population,

technology is becoming increasingly introduced to all aspects of life. If digital technology does even

successfully transcend to a form of fashion then perhaps it will be through such devices as Motorola’s

image necklace, or the hearing aid necklace featured below.

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Style

Styles are different than trends as they are more multi-faceted from a personal lifestyle viewpoint. A trend

is one element of a lifestyle, one element of your personal style. A common occurrence in current

consumer choices has been the appearance of metallic finishes, metallic or wooden trims, and clean

geometry.

Metal: more specifically, brushed aluminum is being utilized as a luxury finish.

Trims: Made from wood or metal, added to give products an extra aesthetic edge.

Clean Geometry: Simplicity is derived from intellectual purity (see Platonic solids)

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Idea Visualization

The visualization phase is always one of the more interesting parts of any design project. In this stage

designers’ interpret information from previous phases and visualize and develop concepts that either

counteract discovered problems or emphasize experiences. The concepts are generally shown through the

utilization of rapid sketching and rendering abilities, and are normally presented on paper is stead of on

digital formats. The benefit of sketching on paper as opposed to on a tablet or other digital device is the

ability to surround the designer in the project. With sketches pinned up all around, the designer cannot

escape the project and is therefore constantly involved and thinking about possibilities.

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Initial Ideation

The idea visualization process begins with a dynamic exploration of any and all concepts, it is important

that all ideas are allowed to be communicated. This acceptance of all ideas must occur, no matter how

absurd or impractical, as they may potentially help in sparking an idea at a latter date. It is also important

to visualize all ideas so that the designer can move on, setting that concept aside for later. This stage is

normally results in an array of ideas that are broad and diverse and also potentially overwhelming. The

sketches that follow are an example of the dynamic array of concepts that were visualized from the earlier

information.

This Oven mitt provides a visual cue for temperature, to demonstrate to others the temperature of the

food being held. This provides an element of safety in the Kitchen.

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Modular texture tiles that change their texture allowing for a unique experience each time the Kitchen is

used. The textures can change on an instant or are randomly morphing in and out of different selections.

A digital canvas that provides those in the kitchen with a creative outlet. As different stimuli are exposed

to the canvas they create a dynamic visual composition that changes with every interaction.

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A blooming lamp that evolves with social detection. As the lamp is exposed to more movement is slowly

blooms, not over an hour, but over the course of weeks.

A collection of flexible toothpicks that combine to form a small patch of prairie in the kitchen. The

toothpicks form a therapeutic surface when inserted into their holder. They are made of a flexible plastic

so they flex when a hand is passed through them.

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Nomad is a light that attaches itself to the ceiling and, when detecting human presence, moves across,

lighting the kitchen as it goes. It responds to human presence and to the presence of other nomad lights

to provide a sense of companionship for the user,

The sun stick provides an elegant solution to timekeeping. Rather than express time through digital

display, words are utilized to express time a form more intent on experience than efficiency.

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The exhibitionist is a lamp with a desire to be naked. As the lamp detects social traffic with its motion

detector it starts to undress itself, the more social the people, the less cover the lamp has. This also

serves a practical function to better light the social environment.

The anemone is reminiscent of the underwater sea creature. Its tendrils shimmer to attract people to

interact with it and, when held, provide a therapeutic value as the tendrils massage the palm of your

hand.

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The personal pebbles offer families a way to feel as if they are close to one another even if they are not.

The pebbles glow when touched, and when one is touched the entire set reacts to provide the entire

family with a sense of companionship when separated.

The social growth set is a way for your kitchen to participate in any social gatherings that occur. The

coasters interact with the centerpiece and communicate proximity and pressure. These signals are

translated into a growth pattern. This pattern would grow different each time due to changing pressure

and proximity variables.

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Growth patches provide your kitchen surfaces and appliances a way to connect to a user on a more

emotional level. The growth patches respond to movement heat or a variety of other stimuli to grow in

natural manner.

Refined Ideation

After every idea has been translated into a communicable format, filters can begin to be applied. With a

broad set of ideas, to narrow the opportunities, the criteria of the project can be applied. Does the

solution fit the criteria? If the concept does not fit the goals and needs of the project, do any components

of that design? Combining successful attributes of unsuccessful concepts is a useful tool of the designer,

as this allows for the best attributes to be fused into a successful design.

The concepts were grouped into a number of categories to make them more legible. The groupings

allowed for a quick comparison of potential. Attributes were compared in terms of practicality and

relevance to the projects criteria.

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Chosen Concept

The concept chosen to develop further was the concept entitled Life Tiles. The tiles are small glimpses of

nature with clouds, grass, water and flowers are all represented by their own square. In this form they

have an adhesive ability on the back so they can be placed on any surface in the kitchen. In essence they

are windows through which to view the environment outside to be placed in particularly material

atmosphere, to provide a sense of displacement. The tiles are not static photographs but are actually

living and allow for interaction with the user. The tiles react to touch, movement, and breath to provide

the façade of a living environment.

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Concept Refinement

Form

The word tile brings to mind images of squares that are flat and consistent, providing a clean aesthetic

when placed in a group. A form study was performed to experiment with alternatives to the existing

accepted idea. A variety of two-dimensional shapes were considered, with only a circle providing a realistic

alternative, due to the natural associations such as the sun and the globe that come with it. More extreme

three-dimensional forms were also visualized, but none of these provided the same pleasant sense of

proportion and balance that the square did. The square was chosen and the corners rounded to soften the

form, making it more appealing to all. The softening of the form was important also as harsh, sharp forms

are rarely found in nature so rounded corners are an attempt to connect the form with nature and the

environment visible on the screen. A metal trim was given to the form, in line with the style research

performed earlier; this also provides the potential for induction charging (see charging).

The form of the charger needed to match the language already established by the tiles, and the

interactivity of the device had to follow the existing manner in which the tiles were to hold relationships.

The decided form was a substantially thicker than the tiles, and holds a slightly larger display that sits

slightly lower inside the form. This is to provide a surface that affords the user to place the tiles into to

charge. The lowered platform holds the tiles in place to charge them effectively. The image shown on the

display is that of the Sun. In nature the Sun powers all life, providing the basis on which everything

survives, so it is appropriate that it is chosen to be the representation for the charger of the tiles.

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Functionality

The tiles have multiple relationships to fulfill, and so a complicated system is required to allow these to

occur simultaneously. All computing relationships occur through a wireless communication system with a

main processing hub inside the charger. All sensory and proximity information is sent from the tiles to the

hub, it effects the environment being rendered inside the hub, and the resulting images are sent back to

the tile to display. The environment is being constantly updated inside the charger so that, even if there

are no direct stimuli causing a reaction, the environment appears to be living. This provides the façade

that it lives with out your interaction not for your interaction. The following sketches are a sample of the

problem solving undertaken to solve, charging and assembly problems.

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When a human interacts with the tiles they have multiple ways of doing so: direct contact, blowing on the

surface and movement near.

• Direct contact – The screen is a flexible OLED display and underneath is an ultra-

sensitive pressure pad to detect pressure and pressure movement.

• Blowing – The pressure pad underneath the OLED display is so sensitive that is can

detect even the sustained pressure of a breath on its surface.

• Movement – The OLED display doubles as an integrated sensing display (ISD). The ISD

contains pixel-sized cameras that can coordinate and depict movement occurring a

certain distance away.

Exploded View – Life Tile

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Exploded View – Charger/Processor

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Charging

The tiles are charged when arranged on the charging dock, the Sun Tile. The charger and the tiles both

have an exterior with contact surfaces made from conductive metal, this allows for induction charging to

take place. Induction charging is a method used to charge a battery without actually touching it to any

other charged object or battery. The charge either passes through a conductive material present or, if the

charge is strong enough, the charge leaps through material to the power source. With the OLED far more

energy efficient than LCD’s, the projected battery time per charge cycle is two weeks. The charger has a

strip of LED embedded plastic around its base that has a focus that pulsates when not charging and

revolves around when charging. When needed to be charged, the life tiles start to wane and die,

providing a visual cue as to when they need to be replenished. If the tiles completely run out of charge

they go through an individual death sequence, and are close to impossible to revive (revival can only

occur through a full charge and natural arrangement of other tiles).

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Reactions The relationships that are formed with the user and the surrounding environment are what make the

usage of this product so inviting. Each tile reacts with humans and their environment, all the tiles react

with the charger and all tiles react with each other. As there are four tiles, the amount of possible

relationships that could develop is large. The designers’ responsibility is to understand not only that they

have relationships and what they are but why they are having them.

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Life Tiles

Flower, Grass, Cloud and Water Tiles:

The Sun Tile:

Life Tiles are an alternative home accessory, tapping into mans deep visceral desire to be with nature,

they provide the user with an outlet with which to remove themselves from their day, even if just for a

moment. Creating a lucid environment that reacts with itself makes the perception that much more

believable. Providing the user with a feeling of peace, they know that the environment they have created

is sustaining itself and reacting with the home that it lives in. At the core of the project are the unique

experiences gained each time the tiles are used, never repeating the same interaction twice is what makes

the relationship that forms so involving.

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Meeting the goals set forth in both the general phase scope and the specific the direction statement, the

tiles successfully provide marry five components, criteria set by both client and designer have been

accomplished both a sense of control and companionship as well as marry the three components set

forward in the initial project criteria:

• Control: The proximal relationship the tiles have with one another allow for the user to

have a sense of control over nature when arranging the forms. The tiles counter balance

this with the idea that you can never control nature and it is a self sustaining, living

being, and will live or die, without any interaction with humans whatsoever.

• Companionship: The relationship the tiles have with each other form the idea of a living

entity, this is accented by the fundamental reactions of the tiles to human actions. These

reactions provide a façade of intelligence

• Style: The materials (brushed metal) and form (clean lines) combine to create an

elegant aesthetic to match the discovered needs and desires of the target audience.

• Technology: The technologies utilized are all realistic and in existence. The functionality

is integrated and automated so the user cannot get confused, the product is entirely

reactionary.

• Poetry: The poetry appears in the way the tiles afford a unique experience each time

they are interacted with, and the way they are to be cherished.

The tiles act as a piece of a natural environment that can be carried with you wherever you go, every time

an interaction occurs the experience is different. They are designed to cherish and if they are not cared

for, they will fade and die. Environment tiles life with you not for you.

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Phase Three

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Scope To finalize the design by implementing any appropriate input on it from the client that resulted from the

presentation of the previous phase. Develop photorealistic models of the final design by utilizing the

orthographic drawings developed and screen wire-framing performed in the previous phase of the project.

Complete this whilst simultaneously finalizing the visual representation and prototypes of any required

screens or interfaces.

Design re-evaluation

The design process is one of constant change and reflection. Often products are designed and sold only to

see them be redesigned and fundamentally altered in the updated version in the company’s next product

line. As a result of a number of design critiques and client feedback, it became clear that changes needed

to be implemented. The existing design needed to undergo an evaluation to try and identify an

appropriate course of action to improve it.

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Charging

The advice offered all centered on the charging dock and the act of charging the tiles. One of the pre-

established goals of that this product had to meet was that it had to be poetic. This poetry should be

communicated through either the objects’ form, functionality, its’ existence or the relationships it forms

with humans or other objects. The manner in which the tiles charge was deemed poetic, allowing the

objects to rest on one another to charge, but the way the tiles stacked was deemed out of character with

the rest of the design.

The following is a selection of sketches that demonstrate the reevaluation of the initial design and the

development of a new charger. They communicate the potential arrangements and forms that could be

used to successfully charge the tiles in a home environment.

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Redesigned Charger

As a result of the reexamination of the potential forms and formations of the charging process, a design

was produced that matched the projects underlying theme of poetry.

When charging the forms combine to create a cube, creating a visual cue to the progression of

importance. To charge the tiles, all must be present as this completes the circuit so power can be

transferred. This change from a simple two dimensional form to a more evolved three dimensional form is

a conscious evolution in significance, elevating charging and the Sun Tile to a level of higher significance.

This redesign fits closer to the natural ideal that drives the entire concept. Each individual tile is a glimpse

of a particular environmental element and together these create an environment or ecosystem where each

one affects another, all sustain each other and all must be nurtured. Separately the elements are of muted

importance, one aspect of a larger being, so it makes sense that the design should recognize this. The

charger, when in charging formation with all tiles connected, is reminiscent of a globe, with all elements

directly linked and immediately reactive to one another. When charging, the elements displayed perform a

form of rapid rejuvenation, repairing any of the damage cause by not having access to a direct power

source. Wilted flowers redevelop their posture and color, brown grass returns to green.

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Model Creation

To aid in communicating the concept fully, it is important to develop ways to show not only the potential

of it and its technicalities, but how it will exist in space and context. Developing a physical or computer

model is an effective way to demonstrate how the objects behave physically with a user and the context it

will live in. Models are effectively a bridge between concept and production, proving the concept can be

realized, and showing not what the object can be but what it already is.

Project Usage

Computer models for this project were constructed and rendered using Alias Studio Tools 12. The

orthographic drawings developed earlier were used as a foundation with which to begin the construction.

These provided a solid point from which to begin, and allowed for few initial problems. The models took

approximately 20 hours to build due to the occasional need to re-evaluate the design decisions made in

earlier stages. The rendering of the design took additional time, this was due to the need to assign

materials and place accurate lighting for the design to be rendered with. The end renderings demonstrate

the variety of ways the tiles can be arranged and what they look like in physical space. They are shown

out of context to allow the observer to fully appreciate the form and physical relationships built between

the objects.

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Physical Model building

The physical sketch models from the earlier stages of the project were close by to provide immediate tools

to navigate problems that might develop. These sketch models were made out of cardboard as the fidelity

of them was not as important as the relationships they would develop with their surroundings. These were

built to provide an idea of the tiles’ scale and proportion in relation to the other objects that might be

found in its everyday domain. The concept is important as it demonstrates the intellectual depth of an

idea, the form and the functionality will demonstrate the potential beauty and behavior of it. But a

physical model will allow for someone to emotionally attach through the tactile sensations of actual

contact, and to imagine interacting with it when completely finished.

Above are examples of these models in context to provide a simple understanding of spatial relationships.

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Computer Modeling

Computer Modeling programs are pieces of software that allow models that are of high detail and fidelity

to be built quicker than those built physically. Examples of these programs are Alias Studio Tools,

Rhinoceros and Solid works. The programs construct models through the manipulation of separate

surfaces into a cohesive form. Products can be built in short periods of time and the programs allow for

materials, colors and finishes to be applied and altered swiftly. This speed is of immediate advantage

when deciding these detailing elements, as it allows for the full potential of a product to be realized. Once

the building and material assignment is complete the models can be rendered (visualized) to a

photorealistic quality with a variety of light effects and placed in multiple environments. A computer model

is a method of visualization that can, when built intelligently, eliminate the need for a person to physically

build a model. Models can be sent directly to a rapid prototyping machine to be printed in 3D, and

depending on its size, to full scale.

Rendered computer models are important as they allow the product to be actually placed in its context of

use. When the product is shown in the environment that connects with people, then people can envision

the usage of it and how it would possibly impact their lives. By placing a conceptual product in context a

new potential reality is created, a reality that people can connect with. The visual computer models have

been developed so they can be placed into images of a realistic environment. Offering glimpses of the

potential reality that the product could develop demonstrates to people how the product would exist. This

aids in indicating to them that the objects can realistically become an accepted part of the existing product

landscape.

On the next few pages are examples of Alias renderings of the tiles and charger in various arrangements,

none of which are in any specific context. These images were arranged in the manner to best present the

materials and physical relationships.

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Renderings

The Charger / the Sun Tile

Charger Unplugged

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Out of the Box – Charging Arrangement - Charger Unplugged

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Charging Arrangement

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Product Family

Tiles and Charger – Alive

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Tiles and Charger – Alive

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Tiles and Charger – Dead

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Tiles and Charger – Dead

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Instruction

Instruction plays an important part of the design cycle. With the development of a new product comes an

unfamiliar method of use and unknown relationships that it will create. Instruction helps ease an audience

into the new reality that this product has created, making it more familiar to an audience and an audience

more comfortable with it. It is important as it can help communicate the full potential of a product; every

person must be able to comprehend the functions, usage, and relationships it holds. Engineers need to

grasp the conceptual idea of each function to better build or program the product. The public need to

understand how to use the item they have bought, or need to understand it before they buy it. Through

instructing an audience, the information they need to fulfill their experience with a product is

communicated.

Successful instruction is based upon the fulfillment of four points:

Establishment of goals – What is the intended result of the instruction and the expected outcome.

Placement of context – Ability to incorporate problem into surrounding world.

Sense of progression – Provide the sense that progress is being made towards a goal.

Ability to determine success – Allow for determination of success.

The Life Tiles need instructions more urgently than everyday products as they are completely alien to the

consumer market. A new product can come with no recognizable features and as such, an audience is

scared, uninterested and possibly intimidated. The instructions will provide that uneasy audience with a

method with which to on one level understand the product and its use and on a more important level,

relate to it and empathize with it.

The following pages are the instructions that relate the Life Tiles to the audience. They provide a variety of

information, ranging from basic contents to technical relationship understandings,

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The Life Tiles are there to be enjoyed. When the work day is overpowering and getting away from you,

you can take pleasure in the fact that your environment is at home. Designed to be cherished and to

nurtured, your environment can develop into something to show off and perhaps to give to a loved one.

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Phase Four

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Scope

The purpose of this final phase is to place the developed product into a realistic context using scenarios to

humanize the idea and relate it to the audience. By compositing the models into a photograph of context

or into a situation it can begin to develop a personality that people can empathize with. The first part of

this phase is to provide people with a solid vision of how this product can have an effect on their current

life. The second part of this phase is to consolidate all of the information to date into a comprehensive and

understandable format for presentation to client and colleagues, most of whom are unfamiliar with this

project.

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Scenario Development It is easy for the designer to understand the product that they have created, as they have been

surrounded by the decisions they have made. This is dangerous. To be completely submerged in an idea

can potentially mean that the designer is blind to the reality of it, not being able to be separate the idea

from its ability to succeed. There is a need to understand the project from an unbiased perspective.

Scenarios provide the ability to do this, by placing the product into realistic environments. If the product

can be successfully placed into the lives of the audience or of the client then it is easier to understand.

Scenarios aid in the comprehension of abstract concepts and ideas by relating them to the audience

through stories. Stories are the oldest forms of entertainment and everyone experiences them in their

various forms every day. Commercials, friendly banter, television and the internet, all relate information

through a perspective, not through experience. Small children are exposed to stories by their parents,

storytelling being a fundamental element of the parent-child relationship. To be successful these pieces of

narrative need to be engaging; this is accomplished through humanistic entertainment. By placing the

design into a narrative the designer provides the audience with a glimpse of the actual experience.

Scenarios are the successful fusion of two elements: attributes of the design (functionality, interface) and

an engaging narrative. Both of these things must evolve through design process in order to refine them

into effective and communicative components. It is important to include attributes that will help the

audience understand the concept as a whole. The chosen elements are then integrated into a story. To

build an effective narrative it is important to understand both the design and the target audience

thoroughly as this helps in developing realistic situations in which the product can be placed. To develop

these situations you must first realize that a world in which it would exist would be different; there would

be a changed reality as compared to the one experienced today. This visualized potential reality drives the

scenario development. A scenario should be developed in this reality, developed as if this situation is

commonplace and ideally, everyday. These situations need to be visualized using conventional media such

as video or photographs; to organize these storyboards should be constructed. A storyboard normally

experiences a number of iterations to achieve its full potential. Once the scenario has been created it

needs to be visualized. Renderings of computer models are placed into the movie clips or photographs

previously taken. These provide the scenario with visual reference points. Instead of being purely spoken

word, visual references allow a door that the audience can step through; they can place themselves into

the picture. Experiencing the product in this way helps the audience to understand how it would affect

them, making them relate and empathize with it.

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Storyboarding

Below is an example of the storyboards that were developed to help finalize and shoot the scenarios.

These are basic versions of the final narratives, demonstrating an understanding of shot composition and

story visualization.

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The Drift

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The Gift

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Scenarios

Scenario 1 - The Gift

The gift demonstrates how the initial charging of the tiles. This shows the terraforming that occurs and the individual identity that the tiles develop.

<Man and woman come through door> We just got back from taking my sister to the airport; we came inside and saw something on the table. <See strange cube form of life tiles on table with a note underneath> We thought she had left something behind, but it had a letter on it addressed to both of us. <Read letter> Dear Mike and Emma, It was really great to see you both this weekend. I know moving can be difficult and that your memories of Asheville will die hard. But I am sure that you will both grow to love your new apartment. Here is something to bring a little bit of nature, a little bit of green into your new home. Love Mindy

<Look at outlet> I suppose we just plug them in then. <Both looking at glowing cube, same screens> So we plugged them in and they came to life in five screens.

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<Close-up of dirt screen> Four of which had a sort of dirt image on them. <Watch transformation of grass> But as we looked one of them changed, it transformed into a grassy prairie of some kind. As we looked around we saw the other tiles had changed also they had transformed into their own individual elements.

<Watch transformation of plant> A plant that had grown into a flower had bloomed into a really pretty colorful pink flower.

<Close up of bloomed pink flower> It was really beautiful.

<Looking at glowing cube, with developed screens> As we looked around the cube we saw that grass, the sky, the sun, water and a flower were all represented.

<Touch screen> We both wondered what they were going to do next.

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Scenario 2 - The Return Scenario two deals with the relationships the tiles develop with each other and what happens when they are neglected and recharged. The couple returns home, the wife notices a flower tile is brown and withered. She gathers up the other tiles and watched them recharge and redevelop into pristine screens.

<Man and wife come through door> My wife and I had just returned from traveling Europe for two weeks. We were so happy to be home, hungry, and tired but so happy to be home. <Kicks off shoes by front door>

I kicked off my shoes. <Wife goes to kitchen, husband goes to living room> And my wife suggested that we open a bottle of wine. I thought that this was a great idea. So I took a seat and my wife went to open a bottle of wine. <Peels off label> As she started to open the open the bottle something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye.

<Picks up flower tile and inspects it> It was her flower tile, the flower had flexed as it detected her movement so she picked it up for a closer look. <Tile is brown and withered> She saw that it was brown and withered and that it was starting to die.

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<Holds three tiles and compares them> She looked at two more of her tiles and saw that they were also in pretty bad shape. <Looks for the fourth tile> She started to look for the fourth tile, as she knows that she needs all four tiles for them to charge. <Compares all four tiles together> She finds the fourth one and then compares all four of her tiles together. Her ecosystem is starting to die, her little piece of nature starting to fade away. <Moves towards charger> They are all in really bad shape so she goes over to the charger to set them up. <Charger with holes in it, one tile in a slot> She removes The Sun Tile and starts to place the other tiles into slots. <Sun Tile being placed back on top> The Sun Tile is replaced back on top so that the charging can begin.

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<Flowers undergo rejuvenation> As the tiles charge, any damage done to them by experiencing lack of power is undone. Flowers regain their color and their posture

<Grass undergoes rejuvenation> Grass regains its color and consistency, rebuilding the field it was originally <Wife observes completely healthy cube> The four elements are now ready to become an eco-system once again.

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Scenario 3 - The Drift Scenario three demonstrates a specific element of the tiles functionality. It deals with a flower tile experiencing a breeze, and with it movement. A petal is blown off of the flower and the wind carries it over to a water tile. On the water tile the petal floats on the surface. The wife then blows on the tile and it drifts off of the screen.

<Watching TV sitting on couch> One Saturday afternoon my wife and I decided that we would just watch a movie. I think, I think it was Hotel Rwanda………yeah that was it. <Look hot, fanning them> The problem was that we were really uncomfortable and it was almost unbearably hot so I got up to go and open a window. <Gets up to open window> We were so high up that I hoped a strong breeze would come in and completely ventilate the place. <Reaching for window> On the windowsill was one of our new flower tiles that my wife had placed earlier. <Opens window> So I pulled open the window and as I did so, a gust of wind came through.

<Flower moves> The flower reacted to it and moved across the screen.

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<Walks away from window> But with the apartment starting to cool I could get back to the movie. <Sits back down with wife with view of credits> So I sat back down with my wife, just in time to catch the credits. <Reaches for remote> As the movie was over I thought I would change the channel, put some football on. <Notices petal on tile> As I reached for the remote I noticed something different about one of the tiles in front of us. <Shows it to wife> I picked it up to show my wife what it was but she said that this sort of thing happens all the time. That when I opened the window the wind must have blown a petal off of the flower and brought it over here. <Wife blows on screen> Watch this she told me and she started to blow on the tile. <Petal moves off screen>

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What makes an Interactive Product Poetic?

In its traditional written form, poetry can both roll off the tongue in a complicated series of rhymes and

also be a simple minimalist composition of a preset number of syllables. How can we encapsulate

something that is so broad and unspecific into a single piece of vocabulary? The meaning of it will be

manipulated and altered by its context of use, providing individuals with unique experiences and therefore

personalized definitions. If this is true and everyone experiences poetry individually, then why try to

generalize it at all? Perhaps by defining it we are creating an oxymoron, defining the indefinable.

The same is true for beauty. The definitions of beauty and style change from one person to the next,

causing true beauty and style to be an individual experience. As the saying goes “beauty is in the eye of

the beholder;” if this is true, then why do we constantly characterize mass manufactured objects as

beautiful? Something that is found in every home cannot be considered appealing to every person, as it

would not express the individual identity of him or her. The current social manifestation of beauty is so

limiting and so strong that few objects would dare challenge it for fear of failure. What if a product allowed

the user to develop their own aesthetic and in turn express their own definition of beauty through their

usage with it?

To create a product that embraces and accepts this individualized idea of beauty and to allow users to

express their unique vision of it creates a way for the product to connect with each person. To accept that

every person has a personalized vision of beauty allows designers more freedom to explore alternative

aesthetic and experiential avenues. By providing the target audience with something that facilitates

individual understanding through unique experience we are empowering the user with an amount of

creativity, giving a role to play in the development in their own products. The user can utilize the

framework we provide to create an individual expression of beauty and style.

Due to its abstract and interpretative nature poetry ignites the imagination, filling the mind with ideas and

understanding that differs from person to person. Products that embrace the individuality and the unique

interpretations that poetry provides will be more desirable in a future market place. Providing personal

attraction to a product creates an emotional attachment that connects the user to it on a more meaningful

level. A poetic product is defined by the experience of using it rather than its materials, manufacturing or

aesthetic. The creation of this experience rests on the acceptance that there is not one single experience

to be had, that the experiences differ over time and between the individuals using it. People develop

relationships with products that are unique to them and that evolve. A poetic experience is one that

changes over time, recognizes the fourth dimension and embraces it as its true canvas. Creating a poetic

product means creating a poetic experience

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Thus, an Interactive Product Design is poetic if it meets the following criteria:

• A thorough understanding of its target audience,

• Seamless integration into its target domain,

• It provides for unique interactions each time it is used,

• It allows the user to connect on an emotional level,

• It affords individual or personalized use,

• It creates a relationship with the user that evolves across time,

• It has a personality,

The future product landscape will be filled with products that look and feel beautiful, this is a granted. But

hopefully companies and manufacturers will realize that they must connect to users on a more

personalized level that cannot be accomplished through aesthetics alone. This higher emotional plane will

only be achieved through the utilization of intelligent products that develop individual relationships with

those that use them. The products of the future will connect to audiences in ways never before seen, by

respecting them enough to have a real emotionally fulfilling relationship.

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Reflection

As designers we are constantly faced with the struggle working with broad criteria. This includes having to

work with limited materials, have a project completed within a limited time frame or dealing with ideals or

themes that are hard to describe. This project was no exception; poetry was the chosen obscure ideal

them for us to include. The challenge of implementing an idea into a project that many feel is

indescribable, a purely individual thing to experience, proved difficult. How do you design something to

be red when you are not sure what red even is, let alone what it looks like? This is how we felt as

designers at the start of this project. This is where we are supposed to shine; faced with a challenge of

deep rooted obscurity we are tasked with providing a solution that not only pleases the user and in turn

pleases the client, but also helps to define the challenge itself.

To me, poetry is something that is entirely individual. It is so open to interpretation that interpreting at all

can prove pointless. When I think of poetry, a certain feeling comes over me; imagery of the written texts

of Lord Byron and William Wordsworth come to mind. I think of being bored in English class while my

teacher tried in vain to explain to a class of uninterested schoolboys the delicacies of iambic pentameter.

That is my initial reaction, but there is another thought. Something captivated me about one certain poem

that I studied, a poem I still refer too when in need for some inspiration. It was titled Ozymandias:

“I met a traveler from an antique land

Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone

Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,

Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,

And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,

Tell that its sculptor well those passions read,

Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,

The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed,

And on the pedestal these words appear:

"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:

Look upon my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away”.

- Percy Bysshe Shelly

What was it about this one poem that could captivate a 12 year old and still cause myself to examine it

eleven years on? I feel that the reasons I still enjoy this poem are the reasons why poetry in general is so

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hard to define. The imagery accompanied by this poem change from with each reading but they all

powerful and vivid, even if they are obscure. Each time I read this I interpret the words differently, the

shattered visage changes, my imagination creates different visions of Ozymandias. The idea of poetry is

so hard to fathom because of the above, the interpretative flux that is experienced every time it is

reexamined.

The product I have developed embraces the constantly changing personality that results from the dynamic

interpretation of its content. The life tiles provide the user with a unique experience each time they detect

stimulus, and each time they are directly interacted with. This constant evolution instills a level of

personality into the product that few other objects can develop. The way the tiles react with one another

is constant between each set in different households, but that each set can evolve is completely unique,

based upon the personalized relationships the user has forged with it. A goal of mine at the conclusion of

this product is to see how many different descriptions I can get from others when they try to explain what

my developed concept is. This change in description helps to demonstrate the potential change in

experience. The Tiles tap into a deep rooted desire for humans to be with nature, to displace us from the

struggles of everyday life. Creating a lucid environment that reacts with itself makes the perception of

that much more believable. The sets provide the user with a feeling of peace, they know that the

environment they have created is sustaining itself and reacting with the home that it lives in. At the core

of the project are the unique experiences gained each time the tiles are used, never repeating the same

interaction twice is what makes the relationship that forms so involving. They are designed to cherish and

if they are not cared for, they will fade and die.

The Tiles tap into a deep rooted desire for humans to be with nature, to displace us from the struggles of

everyday life. Creating a lucid environment that reacts with itself makes the perception of that much

more believable. The sets provide the user with a feeling of peace, they know that the environment they

have created is sustaining itself and reacting with the home that it lives in. At the core of the project are

the unique experiences gained each time the tiles are used, never repeating the same interaction twice is

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what makes the relationship that forms so involving. They are designed to cherish and if they are not

cared for, they will fade and die.

I am also very pleased that my direction statement was successful in driving my final design. I worried for

a time that I was straying too far from my ideas of control and companionship, that I would lose sight of

these altogether. The finished concept, my tiles, embodies both of these themes successfully:

• They allow for the human to have an element of control, by the proximity of the tiles

from each other and the power to sustain or neglect them. They also allow for the

experience of losing control, through the way that nature evolves itself, living without

mans interruption and developing by itself.

• They provide the feeling of companionship through the façade of intelligence. The

reactive nature of the system makes people believe that it is an entity, like nature that

is living in their homes. The idea that their kitchen or their home in general is living

without their presence could provide people with a feeling of peace and of oneness with

nature, on a very simple level.

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I feel that the next possible avenue for the design world in general to explore is the embracement of the

experience, engaging the user in a narrative with not only objects but environments and buildings also,

perhaps even clothing. To ensure successful usage of a design and consumer loyalty one must depend on

a successful relationship being built over time between the user and the design itself; to create this,

objects must have the intelligence to react and evolve over time. Intelligent products are the catalysts for

relationships with users, and with those the potential for the eventual acceptance of technology not only

as a tool but as a companion. Emotionally driven products are the products of our future.