Client
Duration
#
Design
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Univeristy
A connected device that translates real-time weather data into ambient light, creating a more intuitive relationship between users and their environment.
About the project
Context and Collaboration
Developed in collaboration with another product designer, this project explores how weather data can be integrated into daily routines in a more natural and engaging way. The aim was to move beyond traditional data displays and instead create a subtle, ambient connection between the user and external conditions.
Challanges
Design Functions
The system uses two Arduino Uno boards with Bluetooth communication. SenBox, equipped with a GroveKit temperature and humidity sensor, collects live environmental data and transmits it to FLORA. This data is then translated into light, through temperature affecting the upper light and humidity the lower, blending colours to give an immediate, intuitive understanding of outdoor conditions. Users can also adjust the sensitivity of the colour scale to personalise the experience.
Summary
Material exploration played an important role in the development of SenBox and FLORA. We experimented with clear PLA tubing to diffuse and carry light through the form, helping create a softer and more atmospheric visual output that reinforced the ambient nature of the device.
For FLORA, we initially explored casting both the base and top section in concrete to contrast the soft light with a heavier, architectural materiality. However, during prototyping the concrete repeatedly cracked, making the outcome unreliable within the project timeframe. Due to these constraints, we adapted the design by creating a wooden base finished to mimic the appearance of concrete, allowing us to retain the intended aesthetic while ensuring a successful final prototype.
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