Cobble Bluetooth Speaker by Eric Wu |
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| DESIGN NAME: Cobble PRIMARY FUNCTION: Bluetooth Speaker INSPIRATION: The design originated in a desire to question the prevalence of active mindfulness practices today. We have meditation apps, mindfulness sessions offered by corporations, and many more. While mindfulness is great, there are alternative activities that humans go to for similar purposes, without bearing the label of "mindfulness.&q UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Cobble is a speaker with an interactive interface at the top. The user has access to 4 pegs that they can place in various patterns. When preset patterns connect, the speaker plays a saved tone. The speaker is made with the concept of "inadvertent mindfulness." Studies have found that the simple action of concentrating on one's actions offer moments of respite. By placing pegs, much like how one places stones in a Go game, the user enjoys a moment of peace. OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: The product behaves like a normal bluetooth speaker, so the user can connect to it with an end device and play whatever they want. The unique interaction is that it can save and activate various sound profiles, which can be activated via placement of the magnetic pegs. The user would have to download a mobile app to change the default profiles, which are nature and white noise sound loops. PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: Duration: 6 months Location: Rhode Island, United States FITS BEST INTO CATEGORY: Digital and Electronic Device Design |
PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: The prototype was constructed with a wooden casing with a four-panel construction. Sand-blasted acrylic panels are used to diffuse the lighting from LED light strips. The prototype control panel was made from an Arduino nano and will be replaced with more efficient chips in mass production. We experimented with various sensing methods and settled on magnetic sensing with Hall effect sensors as they appeared to be the most reliable. SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: 7 1/2" (width) * 7 5/16" (depth) * 2" (height) TAGS: Speaker, Office, Mindfulness, Audio, Music RESEARCH ABSTRACT: User research was conducted in collaboration with co-working spaces. We tested hypotheses like the following: - How much spacing and how big do people prefer the pegs to be - How many rows and columns work the best, offering novelty and comfort without overloading the user - What footprint works the best without sacrificing too much room for interaction CHALLENGE: The hardest part was figuring out the sweet spot of a big enough surface area and a compact enough footprint, the product being a shelf speaker after all. People wanted to engage with the interface but too much of it offered diminishing returns and research participants had more complaints of space constraints. ADDED DATE: 2025-01-14 14:51:35 TEAM MEMBERS (1) : Eric Wu IMAGE CREDITS: Photos: Eric Wu |
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| CLIENT/STUDIO/BRAND DETAILS | |
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NAME: EW Design PROFILE: Eric Wu Design explores innovative product designs that intersect the areas of technology, craftsmanship, and productivity. With his experience in academic research and start-up design, Wu brings unique perspectives from both worlds and looks for opportunities for impactful design narratives and innovations. |
| AWARD DETAILS | |
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Cobble Bluetooth Speaker by Eric Wu is Winner in Digital and Electronic Device Design Category, 2024 - 2025.· Read the interview with designer Eric Wu for design Cobble here.· Press Members: Login or Register to request an exclusive interview with Eric Wu. · Click here to register inorder to view the profile and other works by Eric Wu. |
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