Project Two - Studio One - Group Research

PROJECT TWO - ENERGY CONSUMPTION

Project 1b - Final Written Description

DSDN 112 – Interactive Design

Lauren Humphrey

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Project 1B

Alex R – Stream B

For this project I have created an interactive object that engages the user’s touch and hearing sense. The user needs to engage in these senses to complete the task of guessing what the cubes contain by shaking, rotating and feeling the weight of each cube. The user’s hearing sense will help them as they listen carefully to the sounds that the materials inside the cubes produce. The touch sense is also helpful for this task as the user will be able to feel the weight of the materials in the cubes and will help them justify their decision. The idea of this task is to help the user realise that just because of the weight or the sound that the materials produce by being shaken around inside the cubes, doesn’t mean that it is what they think that it sounds or feels like. I have designed these cubes to help the user realise how you can perceive a sound to be something else because you relate it to another sound that you have heard before. The design of the cubes is to trick the user’s hearing sense to enhance the perception of sound.

Project 1b - Final Photos

Project Development

As I started to begin making my final model, I came up with an alternative to shutting the boxes easily rather than just closing the lid of the box as the user may not be able to find out where the actual opening is on the box as all the sides look the same. I tested this concept on one of my final concepts shown below. To shut the box, I have decided to use a thumb tack with the tack removed and a small rubberband that is tied into the lid of the box.

Through the process of making my final model/s, I came across some areas that needed to be changed. Once I had made the plain cardboard boxes, I realised that I didn't actually need the tabs that sat underneath the lid so decided to cut them off. The same situation came along with the cork lined boxes but I accidentally didn't think about the fact that the cork makes the sides of the boxes thicker so the tabs wouldn't fold into the inside of the boxes easily so decided that I would be able to glue the box together without the tabs on the cork boxes.

Concept Development

 I have sketched some possible other shapes for the boxes I intend to be creating for project one as I wanted to think about other forms that could manipulate the sounds that come from inside the cubes to kind of trick the user into what material is inside the cubes, or other shapes. After sketching these, I decided to stick with just cubes as this is what I tested using card and think that it is the best option.

I have developed my initial idea so that now in a second box containing the same material as the first box, there will be a smaller box inside the big box that will contain the material. This gives a semi-different sound and therefore should distract the user from the first guess of material in the first box.

Interactive Cube Research

Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube
Interactive cube teaches how sounds, harp, French horn, piano, flute, and violin, combine to create music, in this case Mozart or any spontaneous compositions. Baby safe construction.