Pouring Sounds

A kettle re-engineered to produce music notes

Design Emerging Technologies, Master of Design, UC Berkeley, Feb 2024 (3 Weeks)

Individual Project

Challenge

Take an existing object and replace its “guts” with a digital-enabled function. Design the new function with particular attention to the interface and aesthetic qualities that the object already possesses.

Solution

Pouring Sounds reimagined the kettle as an instrument in the kitchen. The redesign expands existing interactions of tilting the kettle to pour water and emphasizes sounds as the output.

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Interactive demo

"Take me to the next!"

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Moment Memo

Neve

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Process

The kettle is ___

Observations on the industrial design details
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The interaction is ___

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Visual confirmation of steam is often a passive result;
The user gets notified mostly by the sounds from boiling water;
touching the hot kettle provides the strongest stimulation (obviously).

What if ___

The design intends to emphasize the sound signal and challenges the stereotype of not touching the glass body when it's hot.

*The form inspiration: Harman Kardon SoundSticks speaker*

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Build, test

After dissembling the kettle, I prototyped electronic sensors and printed a custom case to fit them in the original housing.

*From prototyping individual components to assembly*

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*At the same time, invite people to test holding positions*

Takeaway

"Genre Art", but in hardware IxD

Hardware interaction design enhances everyday technology interactions, like pressing buttons or swiping screens, making them more intuitive and meaningful. By improving usability and functionality, this field celebrates the mundane, turning routine activities into significant engagements and bridging the gap between human needs and device capabilities.

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