Alarm Clock
2019
This project spanned design research, design strategy, industrial design, engineering architecture and physical/digital interaction design. The design research focused on how people think about sleep, time and waking up. Synthesis of this research shaped my design strategy, which included principles to guide the industrial design and to guide the incorporation of sound, light, and information design. A primary element of the design strategy was to create an end-to-end wake up experience that felt fundamentally soft. This was achieved by softening everything from the form, to materials and finish, to the way in which data and time was displayed.
My early prototyping in the bedroom focused on the use of sound and information design. This work led to the concept of keeping both elements soft, then sharpening them when needed. In the final production design, this exploration appeared as a two-stage alarm: first gently transitioning you from deep sleep, then clearly notifying you that it’s time to get going.
Engineering to Feel
The nightlight element of the final design was a result of early prototypes using e-paper as a display technology. The primary challenge of an e-paper concept was how to softly illuminate the display in the very early morning. With a small form factor, it was nearly impossible to incorporate a large diffuser to produce the soft light I desired. I found through physical prototyping in my own bedroom that bouncing light from the nightstand itself would produce the soft light I was after. Although the e-paper concept was not pursued, the light bouncing technique remained, becoming the primary design element of the final design.
Production Engineering
The user experience, industrial design, interaction design, and mechanical engineering architecture were all developed in parallel. This holistic approach led to a design that was aligned with human needs, while matching the development capabilities of a new hardware startup.