Micro_Challenge
Last updated
Last updated
A dual-purpose analog speaker that doubles as a table/chair, amplifying sound to create a social bubble around music and food.
The research will try to explore the possibility of creating recreational interaction within a group of people through an artifact with multiple functionalities and observe how the users iterate with it.
The intent is to analyze how the prototype can generate an environment for a sharing experience in a situated community space through music and food, a non-language means of connecting with similar or different cultural backgrounds.
Data collection will be followed through the artifact itself, by having conversations with the participants, analyzing the reactions and the way how they use it.
We’ll gather information and feedback from the experience process between the users, in the invisible bubble space.
The first design process was to analyze the best shapes to accomplish sound amplification through wood using previous MDEF prototypes. The wood is the most suitable material accessible to us, in terms of sound reflection and strength as support for the prototype.
Before start building any prototype we already used materials and structures previously made during the MDEF master, to test the sound reflection and absorption of the wood.
An essential part of the design process has been first to understand in a simple way how sound wave reflection works.
We could already realize how sound level is slightly increasing from the recording audio after we arrange the phone inside the wood structure.
After the first test, we decided to design a first cardboard prototype to understand the most suitable shape for sound propagation as well as for the support function. The process includes starting sketching some ideas to then create a 3D model with Rhinoceros 3D software in order to use the file for the Laser Cut process.
After some sound test we decide to reduce the size of the artifact to one-unit, considering the elements of transportability and sound dispersion.
The second sound test shows a major increase of sound volume, considering as well the vibration of the material that bring more fullness to the sound waves.
Sealing all the sound leaks in the internal structure as been a second step in the process of soundproof testing...
The following step was working on the 3D model on Rhinoceros in order to prepare the G-file for the CNC machine and then, to assemble all the elements in the wood fabrication Lab.
We remove some of the elements that we design in the cardboard prototype to reduce used material as well as to make the artifact lighter.
To follow we prepared the file for the CNC machine and complete the artifact assemble.
Here the links of the GitHub repository and Hackster.io 👇
The intervention is not just about testing a low-tech speaker, it’s about creating an entry point for engaging with the community, fostering relationships, and understanding social dynamics in a real, lived space.
The speaker acts as a tool to initiate conversations, observe interactions, and explore how people come together in shared public spaces.
The first step in connecting with the community, using music as a neutral and inclusive medium is to create a welcoming atmosphere. Through the intervention, we’re not only studying how people interact with the artifact but also building trust, understanding community needs, and identifying opportunities for future interventions.
Does it create an opportunity for new interactions between strangers?
Do people express a desire for more shared spaces or experiences ?
What kind of music do they choose, and does it spark conversations about culture or identity?
Does the intervention encourage cross-cultural exchanges ?
Who feels comfortable engaging with the artifact? Who doesn’t?
What other needs or desires emerge from community conversations?
How does the community perceive the role of public space ?
