Concept Design Update

Hi, I'm the Design Engineer for Project AlphaSphere. I met up with Adam and the team on September 13th for a project brief/brainstorm, which was successful and a Product Design Specification was drafted up shortly after. My first main responsibility was to do the concept designs, from both an aesthetic and functional approach focusing primarily on the shape of the user interface and housing for the smart materials. Here is what I've been up to this last week:

Concept 1 - The Dalek

A regular shape with 8 series of tactile pads, varying in size. A sturdy, standard base shape. LED strips housed in the gaps between the pads.

Concept 2 - The Plasma ball

Similar to The Dalek, except that this time every other pad has been rotated to improve tessalation. A more interesting base shape, and light strips have been embedded into the front of the pads. Additional features: one or two of the largest pads are also speakers, and there is a turnable pad that will warp the sound produced if you twist it. Also shows how the pads would be held in place by an interior frame.

Concept 3 - The Medieval weapon

This time all the pads used are of the same diameter, the LED's have been embedded around the face of each pad. Shows the frame structure and a large sturdy base.

Concept 4 - The Deathstar

Experimenting with non-circular pads now. Digital-style lights around each pad light up when pressed. Another base shape.

Concept 5 - R2D2 and C3P0's lovechild

Now trying out a range of shapes. The circular pads could play sine wave sounds, the triangle ones make triangular wave sounds, and the square ones….. square wave sounds. Same digital light system as The Deathstar, and another base design.

The next step is to identify the best features from each design and combine them to produce a final working concept for the shape. Then we will need to work out how the smart materials will intergrate with it…