Phase 3 concluded with a product concept, consisting of three to four components; something to monitor stress and notify the user, a device to provide smell, and a device to provide sound. All the components work in tandem to connect the user with nature, to help manage stress.
However, this vague concept is quite far from a tangible product system. In Phase 4, I began to actually start designing - that is, bringing the concept to reality through sketching and rough modelmaking.
I began with a lot of thumbnail ideation. These sketches are messy, but they're a quick and easy way to get ideas down onto paper. I'd be surprised if anyone else could actually decipher them! From here, I made some slightly cleaner sketches to share concepts with other people. In tandem with sketching, I made a lot of rough models, using various found and scrap materials. Modelmaking is always my favourite part.
The concepts progressed from a scarf to a collar, and from multiple disparate components to a system that works cohesively.
Concept
The current concept consists of four distinct components, which combined monitor stress, notify the user, react, and respond to the user’s stress. The components are:
1) A bio-feedback tattoo on the finger which monitor the user’s stress levels and notifies through a gentle glow or colour change of an increase in stress. This tattoo can be personalized to the individual
2) A device worn around the neck that creates a custom soundscape of a forest environment. The device contains accelerometers that adapt the sounds played as the user moves while wearing the device, ensuring that no two experiences are the same.
3) A contact less charging base for the neck-wear. The base is made of Organoid, which retains tactile and olfactory qualities of natural materials. The base can be fidgeted with during use to provide a multi-sensory experience.
4) A frosted glass cover to protect the other components. The frosted appearance obfuscates the view inside, providing a sense of mystery and intrigue
Use Cycle
The most important part of this stage for me was determining the use cycle, and making sure the components interacted with each other and with the user in a sensible way
As I found out in Phase 3, it's extremely important that the different components perform different functions, and that users retain their autonomy. By including a bio-feedback tattoo that does not automatically affect the user. This allows them to be more mindful of their stress, and to choose whether and how to deal with it. From there, they can begin to use the product.
Manufacture
No product is useful if it can't be made. While it's nowhere near production ready, I began to think about the component breakdown and how the parts might be produced.
Community Consulation
This phase was interesting, since we had a community consultation aspect. Industry professionals from outside the school, along with faculty and students from across programs at Carleton came to see our projects and provide feedback. This forced me to have an interim presentation ready to share, to get constructive feedback and ideas from various perspectives I wouldn't have considered, and to be able to defend my ideas and design choices.
From here, the last few weeks are all about refinement! Specifically, I need to figure out the form and CMF options, and hopefully build a works-like or Wizard-of-Oz prototype!