Week 1:
For our new course that is Simple Product Design we will be engaged in a 7 week long project. For our first task we were asked to look for the products that amazes us. Why? Understanding where our interest lies in the vast area of Product Designing is very essential. It will not only helps us to enjoy what we will do but will help us keep us motivated.
There are lots of amazing products surrounding us and in the world. Listing all of it here was kind of difficult for me. So I started searching for the products that are not only amazing but resonates with me…..Being honest to oneself is the most important thing here and that is how product can become extension of ourselves……I am listing few of the products here:
Most of the product over here are either has been used by me or have some connection to me.
After the subsequent discussions and feedbacks from faculties ,I got to know that my choice of product selection was inclining towards different senses of touch and feel, sight and smell and so on…..Experiences and Memories….And Attraction towards Traditionalistic properties of products.
So the Keywords from these explorations were:
Tradition and Modernity
Sensory Design
Simple and Interesting
So the next task was to find more such products related to these keywords:
To further my research I referenced to books and videos to understand my domain. Because of my interest in traditional tools and handicrafts I referred to book Handmade in India by M.P Ranjan and Aditi Ranjan. Where I gained knowledge about different handicrafts from various states in India. As I am interested in Sensory Design I filtered down following handicrafts:
Not only it has the cultural and traditional feel but also these products functions through synchronization of different sensory modalities of sight, touch, taste, smell and sound and makes connection with us. Like the Sheetal Pati is used in summer to sleep or sit on, when touched by the user gets the cooling effect. Or the Chikankari work where one experiences the subtlety of white on white textural contrast through their eyes(The play of subtle shadow and contrast)
To understand appreciate the rusticity and simplicity in aesthetics of these traditional objects I also referred to book Japanese Design art, aesthetic and culture by Patricia J. Graham. Where I resonated with Wabi-sabi, Katsura, Ma, Notan and Karaei principles.
My interest in multisensory design where the different senses are stimulated by the object which adds to its function and values for harmonious coordination with the user led to find the book Synesthetic Design by Michael Haverkamp. Which helped me understand how different coordination between sensory modalities helps in the success of the product in its aim.
After which I researched more on these multisensory perception based products:
Briefs:
The final brief that I will be taking forward :
Preliminary Research:
Interviews:
My goal here is to understand how sensory stimulation can help the interaction between the user and the product by understanding the sensory dimension of them surrounding sight, smell, touch, and sound. By investigating their daily routine, their environment and their physical and mental understanding and connect with nature which would help me develop a meaningful and sensory design.
So for the further research I took interviews. The interview mostly consisted of important 30 questions which had more sub-questions .
Some of the important aspects in the questions were:
How they reacted to stress through the use of senses?
Sight:
Keeping favorite flowers in the room
watching the movement of leaves, sea waves, or swift movements of animals
Enjoying the view outside the window, beach, trees or walk up to the terrace
Closing the eye and meditating or thinking of some beautiful memories
Rustic beauty of objects and abstractness of pebbles
Smell:
Smell of the rain-petrichor
natural soft smell of flowers
Touch:
petting
holding the soft pebble while meditating
massage
Sound:
listening to their favorite playlist
bamboo wind chimes
listening to flute
listening to the chirping of birds
listening to nature sounds, such as sea waves, raindrops forest sounds e.t.c.
Below are some of the objects and products that the interviewees have experienced and felt are sensory stimulating and has connection to nature….
After the interviews and the subsequent observations and interpretations ,my curiosity into the relationship between human-nature-sensory experience got deeper.
Some questions came to my mind:
How do different people of different age ,gender, place and culture feel the same inclination to nature?
What directs their feelings and emotions and binds that aspect together towards nature?
What is the cause of all these aesthetic appreciation and how it is leading to their well being?
How can these nature aspects can be incorporated into their life and how could they be helpful to them ?
All these questions led me to explore about Biophilia and Biophilic Design.
Biophilia means love for life or living things. Humans intuitively have deeply ingrained attraction to nature and biological need for contact with the natural world.
Biophilic design is replicating experiences of nature in design to reinforce that connection which is evidence based design method to improve health and well being, recognizing the health benefit of humans and biological connectedness with nature.
For this I was reading the book of Stephen R. Kellert Birthright People and Nature in the Modern World
The foundation for this book’s exploration of the human physical and mental dependence on nature is the notion of “biophilia,” defined as the inherent inclination to affiliate with the natural world instrumental to people’s physical and mental health, productivity, and well-being.
This book really helped me to understand that innate inclination of people towards nature and answered most of my questions about how and why this happen. It talked about the various ways we associate and derive benefit from nature, which include: Attraction,Reason,Aversion,Exploitation,Affection,Dominion,Childhood,Spirituality and Symbolism.
Some of the important points from the book:
Children’s need for contact with nature is a reflection of our species’ inherent need to affiliate with the natural world as a basis for fitness and productivity. People possess an unusual and perhaps unique capacity for lifelong learning, but as for any species, childhood is the most critical period of maturation and development.
To understand the different aspects of interviewees’ innate understanding of stress busters and desire through the connectedness with nature I got into reading the 14 patterns of Biophilic designs by Terrapin.
In my observations I found a pattern running between so many interviewees .This book really helped me to get into more deeper.
Visual connection with nature: Through researches it has been found that the viewing nature can help in reduced stress ,positive emotional functioning, improved concentration and recovery rates. Viewing scenes of nature stimulates a larger portion of the visual cortex than non-nature scenes, which triggers more pleasure receptors in our brain, leading to prolonged interest and faster stress recover.
The objective of the Visual Connection with Nature pattern is to provide an environment that helps the individual shift focus to relax the eye muscles and temper cognitive fatigue. The effect of an intervention will improve as the quality of a view and the amount of visible biodiversity each increases.
Non visual Connection with Nature: The Non-Visual Connection with Nature pattern has evolved from research on reductions in systolic blood pressure and stress hormones; impact of sound and vibration on cognitive performance; and perceived improvements in mental health and tranquility as a result of non-visual sensory interactions with non-threatening nature.
For instance, when sitting and staring at a computer screen or doing any task with a short visual focus, the eye’s lens becomes rounded with the contracting of the eye muscles. When these muscles stay contracted for an extended period, i.e., more than 20 minutes at a time, fatigue can occur, manifesting as eye strain, headaches and physical discomfort. A periodic, yet brief visual or auditory distraction that causes one to look up (for >20 seconds) and to a distance (of >20 feet) allows for short mental breaks during which the muscles to relax and the lenses flatten
The Presence of Water pattern has evolved from research on visual preference for and positive emotional responses to environments containing water elements; reduced stress, increased feelings of tranquility, and lower heart rate and blood pressure from exposure to water features; improved concentration and memory restoration induced by complex, naturally fluctuating visual stimuli; and enhanced perception and psychological and physiological responsiveness when multiple senses are stimulated simultaneously.
The interpreted factors from the observation and research are:
Concepts:
These are some of my early concepts, which use the already existing instrument known as Ocean Drum which is used as a healing sound for the user. As it had only one sensory modality I tried to support it with other sense that is by visually. As the beads are hidden in the cap parts of the cylinder in either side, its swooshing sound will feel like its coming from the movement of water inside. The liquid mixture will contain oil and water which will give it a slow movement which is relaxing to watch. It incorporates the biophilic design and sensory aspect .This combination of visually and auditorily pleasing product will give a relaxing sensation to the user. As the water movement and sound of it is non rhythmic it will always create mystery and ask attention.
This Concept too is similar to the previous one, just the difference is in the interaction and its usage. It is a lamp which gives off ocean wave sound when moved. The direction of movement of the lamp is free and can be moved in any direction at the will of the user and when rotated the movement of beads will simulate sea waves and will cast shadow on the translucent screen where the user will feel the presence of waves and also the swooshing sound by interaction of beads will simulate the sound of sea waves. .The joints are ball and socket joint. The light will be diffused yellow warm light.
Through research and observation I have found out the spinning top is not only a fun fidgeting toy but also helps to relieve stress and increase concentration. It is a very quick way to relax oneself. In this concept I tried to work on different sensory modalities like smell and sight. For this I separated top in two parts body and the handle(also the reservoir) which are detachable. The handle will be filled with the water and water soluble fragrance of one’s choice and the tip will have ball point mechanism. So every time the user spins it it will not only give off smell but will draw amazing pattern on the surface .
This concept takes in different natural materials like stones, Bamboo, water, grass. I have used carved stone on which fragranced water will drip on slowly and the furrows will guide it down the pebbles. Here I wanted to show the journey of water which is slow and pleasing and also the etching impression of water can on the pebbles which is very pleasing and mysterious at the same time. This product will work like humidifier and change the interior feel of the room and give us the feeling of being near to nature with the water flowing .It also acts like diffuser if water soluble fragrance is added to it.so with every drop the user can enjoy it and feel relaxed. It can be also used as indoor planter for growing grass if plain water is used.
This concept is based on rainstick which is a sound healing instrument. I have incorporated this concept in making a lamp which is simulating a rainy window which simulates the sight of rainfall and also the healing sound of it. In a stable setup it will act as a window lamp but when its central part is rotated by the user the beads inside it will start falling on the metal protrusions making the rain sound effect and LED lights behind will cast shadow of this beads falling as rain on the top white translucent screen. This setup is quite interactive and relaxing which eases the user and helps them relax under the influence of nature simulated environment.
Rainstick- inspiration for the Rainy window lamp
As I thought of creating rain sound,rain stick is the first thing that came to my mind. Traditionally it is made up of hollow dry cactus tubes but generally they are made up of bamboo,woods and even paper towel tubes too.
Some scholars and Mexican musicians suggest that the rainstick was introduced into popular music in that country from South America. Some say the popularity of Andean music, which uses the rainstick, fostered its adoption. Other people suggest that the ecology movement to save the Amazon rainforests, which began in the 1960s, brought the rainstick forward as a symbol for the rainforest. Whatever the case, the rainstick has become a popular musical instrument and has been adopted by many musicians around the world.
There are also wooden stick rattles filled with seeds or pebbles found archaeologically along the coast of Peru, but it is not clear whether these date from the Inca period or earlier (6000 B.C. — A.D. 1500).
The historic tubular rattles are made of either whole reeds (such as bamboo) or plaited reed strips. Closed on both ends and filled with pebbles or hard seeds, they have palm needles stuck into the walls of the tube so that the sound is “very like the patter of rain.”
Concept taken forward is- Rainy Window Lamp
I took concept forward because while interviewing lots of interviewee were relating some aspect of rain as relaxing,be it be sound,smell, or sight. Even this concept was bringing the feeling of rain(indoor). This product will be used as lamp, as relaxation aid and fidgeting tool too.When the user is feeling the urge to take a break and relax themselves they will spin/fidget the lamp and it will give of rain sound and visual. The reason behind of it not being motorized is it will create more rewarding connection with product,otherwise if it is motorized its presence will be ignored with time .
Mock-Up
After the research I found out that rainsticks are made up of multiple materials like traditionally with dry cactus,then bamboo,even different woods and cardboard too. Though all of the material created the patter peter sound of rain it differed slightly in different materials. So for the mockup cardboard seemed to me the best material beacuse of its already usage in rainstick,then its sturdiness and its availability.
Materials used:
Cardboard,Corrugated sheet
Iron nails
Butter paper for screen
Cellophane paper
Paper sheets
Fairy Lights
The product consist of three main circular parts-back part made of cardboard with nails pierced on it and fairy lights attached.The middle portion consist of the pouches made up of paper sheets which will hold lentils and seeds. The middle portion is covered with transparent cellophane paper. The outer or the front part consist of carboard frame covered with transluscent butter paper for the casting the shadow of falling seeds to show as rain.
Creating Rain Sound
For the sound I traditinally people used pebbles in rainstick . Where the beads will interact with nails to give off peter-patter rain.So here in this Mock-Up I used different lentils and cereals. As they had different sizes and textures it created different rain sounds.Like with rice alone it gave a fine high pitch sound of rain drizzle,but when I added moong lentils it created the low pitch sound of rain drops falling on the leaf and ground which people found very soothing. Sound with Grams also created a loud sound which was helping to create natural rain sound.
Sound 1- https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/8pQSt
Sound 2-https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/byt9p
Sound 3-https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/kCgjM
Sound 4- https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/xNB43
Sound 5- https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/9Z3y2
Sound 6-https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/6eva1
At last I went for the mixture of Rice,Moong and Grams in 3:2:1 proportions for creating soothing rain sound after taking feedbacks from the sample interviewees.
Working Mock-Up Model of Rainy Window Lamp
Ideation on different forms of lamps
For the base of the lamp I tried to keep it simple . The base will be stable and support the lamp when in use.
Context of the Product used:
This product is designed in a way it can create an environment close to nature in the indoors.This product gives off soothing rain sound and visuals which is appealing to the user. As it is observed the seeing or being in nature even for 20 seconds gives relief to the user and also increases the concentration and confidence during work and relaxes the senses before sleeping.So this product is designed in a way that can be placed in study or office desk and can be placed besides the bed .So whenever the user feel like relaxing themselves can use it and feel the soothing rain sound and watch the rainfall in the lamp.The lights are adjustable .Blue light in daytime and Red light at night time relaxes the user.
Modelling of the Final Concept
Materials and Manufacturing
Materials used in the lamp:
Wood-Hardwood( Mahogany or Maple)
Process used-Steam Bending,Wood Routing
My first choice for wood was bamboo for its durability and as the rainstick already uses this material.But getting desired width of circular bamboo frame and bending will be very difficult and expensive.Softwood is good for percussion instrument but is not good while bending so the last option is left for Hardwood. So in hardwood Mahogany and Maple are good at bending ,used in percussion instrument and is durable too.Therefore Hardwood is the chosen material.
Translucent material-Shoji Screen for the front window
Transparent material- Acrylic glass sheet
Metal Protrusions -Iron Nails
ball bearing-metal ball bearing
Lights-LED bulbs
Beads- Rice,lentils(moong and grams)
Thank You!