CAD Modeling and 3D Printing, Soldering and Circuitry, Physical Protoyping
A galaxy-projection lighting device which turns on when rotating a disc so stars align to complete a constellation. A light in a form reminiscent of music boxes and toys that is made to evoke a sense of nostalgia and childhood.
2 Weeks
Course:
Designing Products for Interaction, Spring 2025
Role:
Individual
Tools:
Laser Cutter, 3D Printer, Solidworks, Adobe Illustrator
Materials:Acrylic Sheets, LED bulb, Reed Switch, Magnet, Spray Paint
Starting with this project, my primary objective was to create a light interaction that tells a story and invites play.
I thought of the simple, analog toys I played with as a kid that could also take on the rectangular box base we were given.
I started with three prototypes:
(1) A star shadow projector triggered by turning a dial to complete the constellation
(2) A lightbox, where light is turned on to backlight a field of flowers when the user rises the sun to the peak
(3) A lighter
I took inspiration from the simplified visual elements of Dieter Rams industrial designs, and the aesthetic of historical constellation maps.
Because we were constrained to a filleted rectangular box as the base, I had to find a way to combine rectangular and circular form languages cohesively.
I laser cut and spray painted the acrylic layers, which are assembled on top of the 3D printed box.
In my acrylic layers, I strategically engineered holes and openings to ensure functionality of the circuitry.
First, I decided between circles or actual 5-edge-star silhouettes as the representation of stars. I realized that stars, though its projection might be stretched and warped, communicated its purpose much clearer.