Breeze

Supervised by Prof. Carola Zwick
Semester 5

Tools:
Arduino, Rhino

Starting Point:
I took up analog experiences of light which origins from fire, using digital technologies to make neo-analog experience and gesture.

3 metaphors from the physical world:
 1. When you set a fire, you could blow towards it to make the air flow, the fire will be brighter and stronger.
2. A sudden and strong blow makes the candle out.
3. The flame can be passed from one to another spot.

Sketch of setting a fireSketch of blowing out a candleSketch of passing a flame

Transfer metaphors to the lamp:
1. When I slightly blow towards it, the lamp gets brighter.
2. When I strongly and quickly blow towards it, the lamp gets off.
3. A lamp can light up another lamp.

Lamp brightening when blown onLamp turning off when blown onOne lamp lighting another

First Prototype

I took ‘blow’ as an input, using a microphone to detect if there’s a change of the air flow. The blow data will be transferred to brightness of the LED stripe. With a soft blowing the lamp will get slightly brighter. A strong blow will switch off the light.

Technical Layout
a microphone sensor + led stripe + two plexiglas diffusers, two batteries, a hall sensor to detect magnet, magnet.(To realize passing the light metaphor)

Technical layout of the lamp
Components
Lamp components
After assembling
Assembled Breeze lamp

Light up the other lamp

One Breeze lamp lighting another

Breeze Video

Background music: 白水 BAISHUI

Lovely User Testing during Milan Design Week 2017
taken by ins @_kasia.c