Overview
Duration
Collaborators
Role
Tools
3 weeks
None
ID, ergonomics
Foam, Japanese paper, wires, batteries, battery pack, wood, LED bulb
I knew that I wanted to create a lamp that required the user to physically tip over the object in order to turn it on or off. I did some material exploration at local paper stores and purchased some textured lantern paper that had drawn me in.
When I started to try different forms, I was drawn in by geometric and origami-like forms. However I realized I was trying to force a form I found interesting upon the interaction that I wanted, instead of letting the interaction define the form I was going to create. I pivoted, going back to the drawing board and trying flow forms, creating a cylindrical shape.
I devised a concept where the lamp's operation correlated with the position of the cylinder: when upright, in a "high-energy" position, the lamp would be on, and when knocked onto its rolling edge, in a "lower-energy" position, it would turn off. This concept was inspired by the notion of potential versus kinetic energy, which I discussed and tested with classmates using prototypes. Prototyping was crucial in refining this interaction: https://youtube.com/shorts/3qr7DuIZYHA.
This project held significant personal significance for me, marking a pivotal moment where I found my voice as a designer. I've always been drawn to simplicity in design, a trait that was reinforced when I encountered a handheld object crafted by my future studio teacher during my application to Carnegie Mellon. This project represented the culmination of my first one and a half years at Carnegie Mellon, encapsulated within an intuitive yet functional piece. It was the moment I truly felt like the industrial designer I aspired to be, igniting excitement for the future exploration of creating interactions through form.
The piece my teacher made that inspired my love for simple, intuitive design and made me want to come study at Carnegie Mellon!