Week 5 - Sugru Models

After my previous idea not being what I intended it to be, I had decided I wanted to create an ear piece that would be a cross over between jewellery and technology. My research into hearing aids and bluetooth headphones inspired me to create a bluetooth ear piece that looks like an item of jewellery. I thought back to my initial research where I looked at Ringly and was inspired by the fact that it looked like an ordinary stone ring but really there was tech built inside it, discreetly. 

The next step for me that was important was to consider how this earpiece would sit on the ear. Designing a product around the ear is quite a complex and challenging task because of the shape and also the fact that everybody has a different ear shape.

I purchased Sugru which is a mouldable clay that hardens into silicone after 24 hours. I decided to use this material to create various forms on and around to ear to see what would sit comfortably and look good at the same time. 

For the first set of models I created, I rolled the clay into 4 centimetres and then shaped them around the ear. 

These models moulded nicely around the ear but they didn't sit very well and after 30 seconds they fell off. This structure wasn't very stable and in my opinion didn't look very appealing either. Simon, who was modelling these for me, said the design wasn't comfortable and stable, it just felt like something was hanging off the ear. The peer feedback that I received was that the models looked like 'worms' around the ear. These set of models didn't receive the response I insisted so they I went on to try different forms

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Next I created some forms that cuffed around the ear. 

These sat on the ear very well and didn't fall off and looked a lot better. Simon said that this design was more comfortable and secure and something he wouldn't mind wearing on his ear all day. I asked for some peer feedback for these models. The majority of people said that this design looked better than the last, it was simple yet alluring at the same time. This helped me to narrow my ideas down to a cuff like structure for my design. 

Although the cuff was a success, I still have to think about how the the cuff will link in to the actual bluetooth earpiece that will sit in the ear, this will be my nest task to figure out. Overall I feel that this task was very useful in helping me decide what form my product would take on. Although some of my designs were a failure and didn't work it, this task was an overall success and now I can begin to narrow down my ideas for my design. 

Week 5 - Playing with wire, shadow and light - Materials

Continuing on with idea exploration, I began to test out different materials and assess the different ways in which they can be used. I wanted to work with a flexible material that can be easily moulded around the body. The easier the product is to work with, the more comfortable it will be to wear. I purchased some black garden wire from B&Q and started to play around with it. I created a variety of different shapes, the most interesting one for me was the coil like structure, it almost looked futuristic. 

I then went on to play around with the material on the body. I twisted it around the hands, arm and face. The great thing about working with wire is that you can get the material to sit in every corner and crease of the body. There are no limits. 

Some of the peer feedback that I received from these wire models were that although the wire looks good, it all feels a bit 'loose" and that there needs to be a stronger base to the product. I though about this and agreed. There is going to be a bulk of technology in my product and I need a strong and thick material that will mask this and then I can use other materials such as wire for the aesthetic side.