KALM
In modern homes, people seek comfort through both sound and light, but many products rely too heavily on a single function. There is a need for a multi-functional product that promotes destressing through both soundscapes and ambient lighting—remaining useful even when one function is not in use.
ROLE
Industrial Designer
company
College of Art and Design, RIT
CATEGORY
Consumer Electronics
responsibilities & contribution
Market Research, Concept Development, Form Exploration, Sketching, 3D Modeling, Rendering, Ergonomic Prototyping, 3D Printing, Packaging Design, Product Visualization
.jpg)
market research
A comprehensive research of existing products to visualize and document recurring form, colorways, pros and cons, and what makes each of them unique. Another purpose of the research was to establish how many of these products were actually multi-purpose.
.jpg)
sketching
Rough sketches to ideate potential forms. I wanted the end-product to look less like a device and more like a sculptural, conversational piece.
Although my research mostly involved speakers, I was also exploring the possibility of combining different homeware products together to essentially create an atmosphere.
- Diffuser + Character + Shelf Decor
- Portable speaker + Night Light
- Wall-mounted lamp + Ambient speaker
1st iteration
The initial sketch used a simple rounded charging pad, but for the first iteration I leaned further into the Saturn inspiration, shaping the base around its distinctive ringed form.
Despite the simplicity of the form, it felt like it was standing naked in front of me. I thought to myself, "Something is missing." What was missing was balance. The iteration captured the likeness of the planet, but in doing so it lost sight of harmony. The ring looks disproportionate to the light part of the model.
2nd iteration
Reverted back to the original idea, since the rounded form also lent a sense of coziness. A quality necessary in most ambient products. How is this object soothing the user's environment?
All measurements are in inches.
3d printed prototype
Used the Bambu Lab XIE printer and PLA filament to 3D print a prototype. The proportions came right in the first attempt. The speaker fit snug in my palm, thus allowing for a fidgeting object as well.
packaging
The packaging was intentionally kept minimal to reflect the product itself - quiet, simple, and calming. The restrained visual language also reinforces the name Kalm.
