Project Xylo Midi Device by Kevin Yang |
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| DESIGN NAME: Project Xylo PRIMARY FUNCTION: Midi Device INSPIRATION: Project XYLO was conceived to democratize music creation by transforming MIDI operations into an engaging, portable, and social experience. Inspired by the desire to lower barriers in music composition, XYLO aimed to gamify the process, making it accessible to enthusiasts of all skill levels. Design focused on integrating harmonic and tempo consonance to facilitate intuitive beat-making. Additionally, nostalgic trading cartridges reference classic game consoles, making it fun and easy to share. UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Project xylo is a series of portable midi devices designed for everyday music creation, offered in three sizes: sample, pocket, and midi. The goal is to gamify music composition, making it a social and accessible experience. Design targeted to simplify beat-making with harmonic and tempo consonance, bridging knowledge gaps. Its nostalgic trading cartridges let users share custom sounds and compositions; devices sync to create collaborative music, turning users into part of a band's performance. OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: XYLO makes music creation fun and accessible by transforming complex MIDI operations into an intuitive, hands-on experience. Users record, mix, and shape beats using simple button and slider controls, with harmonic and tempo frameworks ensuring accessible music-making. Swappable cartridges add a nostalgic touch for easy sound sharing. Devices snap together for instant sync, turning solo play into a collaborative jam—like forming a digital band anywhere. PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: The project started in March 2024 and prototyped in May 2024, it is a student project at Royal College of Art, London, UK. FITS BEST INTO CATEGORY: Toys, Games and Hobby Products Design |
PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: Project XYLO undergoes prototyping using FDM printing to refine form, button layout, component placement, and device co-collab precision. The final SLA-printed model was sandblasted for a semi-transparent, Game Boy-like CMF, it went through multiple resin transparency tests to balance component visibility while maintaining the surface texture. Transitioning all electronics into the compact housing was challenging. The prototyping program, built via GODOT and run on Raspberry Pi Zero (ARM64), it faced limitations but was tested for basic functions and graphic capability. SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: XYLO Midi (Large Size): 195mm W x 92mm L x 20mm H XYLO Pocket (Medium Size): 60mm W x 92mm L x 20mm H XYLO Sample (Mini Size): 30mm W x 92mm L x 20mm H TAGS: Midi Device, Game, Nostalgic RESEARCH ABSTRACT: XYLO’s research simplified music composition by categorizing sound into SFX, beats, chords, and melodies. The goal was to create an intuitive tool that ensures harmonic and tempo consonance for easy beat-making and collaboration. Through sound collection, prototyping, and applied to cohort surveys, insights showed that structured tempo enhances harmony and rhythm accessibility, forming the foundation for XYLO. CHALLENGE: First, achieving the nostalgic semi-transparent shell required multiple CMF testing to balance resin transparency and sandblasting. Second, developing the program and structuring the BOM to fit components was difficult due to housing size. Third, balancing appearance with performance was tough—ESP32 lacked graphics power, leading to a switch to Raspberry Pi Zero. XYLO underwent rapid iterations to address these, though production remains uncertain due to design complexity. ADDED DATE: 2025-02-27 11:28:30 TEAM MEMBERS (1) : IMAGE CREDITS: Image #1: Photographer Yunmu Bai and Yan Qing, XYLO, 2024. Image #2: Photographer Yunmu Bai and Yan Qing, XYLO, 2024. Image #3: Photographer Yunmu Bai and Yan Qing, XYLO, 2024. Image #4: Photographer Yunmu Bai and Yan Qing, XYLO, 2024. |
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NAME: Royal College of Art PROFILE: The Royal College of Art (RCA) is a leading postgraduate art and design university based in London, UK. Established in 1837, it offers MA, MPhil, and PhD degrees across disciplines including fine art, design, architecture, and communication, fostering innovation through research and practice. |
| AWARD DETAILS | |
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Project Xylo Midi Device by Kevin Yang is Winner in Toys, Games and Hobby Products Design Category, 2024 - 2025.· Read the interview with designer Kevin Yang for design Project Xylo here.· Press Members: Login or Register to request an exclusive interview with Kevin Yang. · Click here to register inorder to view the profile and other works by Kevin Yang. |
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