smart speaker.
smart speaker design using raspberry pi and google voice kit. winter 2018.
This project was inspired by the functionalist design philosophy of purpose, utility, and lack of ornamentation. Drawing inspiration from the famous small radio and media player devices of Dieter Rams at Braun, the function of the speaker was put forefront.
The characteristics for this smart speaker are dictated by flat surfaces, like those seen on desks, tables, or the wall. As such, rather than being a center piece, this smart speaker was designed to blend away using parallel planes by aligning next to a wall or lying flat on a desk. Like Dieter Rams said, "it must be unobtrusive". Since the user/consumer was modeled after myself, I took full advantage of my preference for clearing up space on desks or shelves by lining things against each other. As I saw this smart speaker as a desk accessory, I wanted it to be able to be align to the sides or corner without interrupting the lines of the table. This enables the speaker to blend away, as if it belonged in its place. While cylindrical speakers fare well as solitary pieces, the curves make it stick out on a cluttered desk.
I used the provided hardware from the MagPi Google Voice Kit while replacing the cardboard housing, providing the motivation to create a new look for the cardboard speaker. I chose white acrylic as the material of choice due to its great finish, durability, and ease of laser-cutting. The laser-cutting was the crux of the manufacturing since perforating any surface usually requires injection-molding type methods, industrial rollers or punchers, or 3D printing. These methods and their corresponding material choices were not desirable for their finish and cost. Cutting and assembling the acrylic panels is currently underway.
The rectangular slab form of this smart speaker was to make the depth as small as possible. The components from the provided hardware of the Voice Kit were organized side-by-side rather than stacked. This also achieved the clean and dichotomous look of the unadorned left side while the right provides personality with the hole pattern. The thin slab also provided the function of being able to be laid on its back so the speaker can become omni-directional (upwards) without protruding significantly from the desk or tabletop. The ability for the speaker to be mounted onto the wall was also explored.
The hole pattern for the speaker cutout was the next significant design challenge. While maintaining the rectangular look throughout the speaker, the non-through holes were organized into a square. The through holes were then fashioned into the outline of the circular speaker, accentuating the function of the speaker and giving more nuanced aesthetics to the overall form. This look was also inspired by the perforated vent grill on the Xbox One S by Andrew Kim.
This project is still a work-in-progress and will be updated regularly. I've learned a lot about prototyping and manufacturing methods, having first choosing 3D printing but then moving on to laser-cutting. Though this was designed for myself in mind, I'm really looking forward to designing consumer tech hardware to a wider range of users.
The characteristics for this smart speaker are dictated by flat surfaces, like those seen on desks, tables, or the wall. As such, rather than being a center piece, this smart speaker was designed to blend away using parallel planes by aligning next to a wall or lying flat on a desk. Like Dieter Rams said, "it must be unobtrusive". Since the user/consumer was modeled after myself, I took full advantage of my preference for clearing up space on desks or shelves by lining things against each other. As I saw this smart speaker as a desk accessory, I wanted it to be able to be align to the sides or corner without interrupting the lines of the table. This enables the speaker to blend away, as if it belonged in its place. While cylindrical speakers fare well as solitary pieces, the curves make it stick out on a cluttered desk.
I used the provided hardware from the MagPi Google Voice Kit while replacing the cardboard housing, providing the motivation to create a new look for the cardboard speaker. I chose white acrylic as the material of choice due to its great finish, durability, and ease of laser-cutting. The laser-cutting was the crux of the manufacturing since perforating any surface usually requires injection-molding type methods, industrial rollers or punchers, or 3D printing. These methods and their corresponding material choices were not desirable for their finish and cost. Cutting and assembling the acrylic panels is currently underway.
The rectangular slab form of this smart speaker was to make the depth as small as possible. The components from the provided hardware of the Voice Kit were organized side-by-side rather than stacked. This also achieved the clean and dichotomous look of the unadorned left side while the right provides personality with the hole pattern. The thin slab also provided the function of being able to be laid on its back so the speaker can become omni-directional (upwards) without protruding significantly from the desk or tabletop. The ability for the speaker to be mounted onto the wall was also explored.
The hole pattern for the speaker cutout was the next significant design challenge. While maintaining the rectangular look throughout the speaker, the non-through holes were organized into a square. The through holes were then fashioned into the outline of the circular speaker, accentuating the function of the speaker and giving more nuanced aesthetics to the overall form. This look was also inspired by the perforated vent grill on the Xbox One S by Andrew Kim.
This project is still a work-in-progress and will be updated regularly. I've learned a lot about prototyping and manufacturing methods, having first choosing 3D printing but then moving on to laser-cutting. Though this was designed for myself in mind, I'm really looking forward to designing consumer tech hardware to a wider range of users.