Project Summary
Intention
Lumi Touch Remake - "How’s the Weather" was designed to bridge emotional and physical distances between friends in different locations. The prototype enables users to subtly communicate their emotional state and mood through tactile interaction with a bird-shaped device and accompanying glowing lights. The concept revolves around the metaphor of weather to represent moods: sunny, cloudy, rainy, and stormy, making it intuitive and accessible. The device fosters empathy and a sense of presence by translating physical interactions into visual feedback. This project explores how IoT devices can deepen emotional connections in today’s digitally connected but emotionally fragmented world.
Historical Case
This project draws inspiration from historical emotional communication devices like the LoveBox or the Tactile Internet, which use haptic and visual elements to convey feelings. Drawing from theories of affective computing and emotional design (Norman, 2004), this project emphasizes subtlety and intimacy in interaction. The bird design was inspired by symbolic connections to nature and harmony, aligning with the Lumi Touch's objective to create gentle, non-intrusive communication. We reference prior works on embodied interaction (Dourish, 2001) to underline the importance of physical touch in human connection.
Remaking
The key goal was to rebuild the Lumi Touch frame as an IoT-enabled emotional interface. The focus was on reviving tactile and visual feedback mechanisms to communicate across physical distances seamlessly.
Remaking
Approach
The key goal was to rebuild the Lumi Touch frame as an IoT-enabled emotional interface. The focus was on reviving tactile and visual feedback mechanisms to communicate across physical distances seamlessly.
Process
First, we started the initial sketches early brainstorming metaphors of touch and weather. Material choices are components included NeoPixel LEDs for dynamic lighting and a Particle Photon for connectivity. We then developed the interaction folow, which is squeezing the bird sends a signal to trigger corresponding lights on a paired device. The challenge of this process is that we still need to ensure real-time responsiveness and crafting a bird that is ergonomic and durable if we really want to push our prototypes with our design concept.
Bill of Materials
The materials we used for the prototype include:
1. Particle Photo microcontroller x 2
2. NeoPixel LED stip x2
3. Pressure sensor (for detecting squeezes) x2
4. a bird prototype
5. Power supply(laptops), jumping wires and usb converter
1. Particle Photo microcontroller x 2
2. NeoPixel LED stip x2
3. Pressure sensor (for detecting squeezes) x2
4. a bird prototype
5. Power supply(laptops), jumping wires and usb converter
Workflow Diagram
Input: User squeezes the bird
Processing: The signal is sent via the Particle Photon
Output: The paired Lumi Touch frame emits corresponding light patterns
Processing: The signal is sent via the Particle Photon
Output: The paired Lumi Touch frame emits corresponding light patterns
Circuit Diagram
[Insert circuit diagram here]
Code
[Insert Code here]