Plant Player
Winter 2014
Project summary
The project was concluded during my time as an exchange student in Tokyo. It centered around exploring interactions with plants. With numerous plants in my own home, I discovered their ability to imbue spaces with atmosphere and vitality, serving as elemental components of nature.
My role
Product design, UX/UI design
Ideation
In my project, I explored innovative ways to interact with plants. Traditionally, interactions with plants involve tasks like watering, fertilizing, and pruning, yet they don't offer immediate feedback. Instead, their growth serves as a reminder of our care. To break through these limitations, I aimed to create a new, more engaging interaction experience.
I envisioned interactions that are both understandable and enjoyable for everyone. Thus, the concept of PLANT PLAYER emerged. PLANT PLAYER aims to transform the way we interact with plants, making it accessible and enjoyable for all.
Concept
I drew inspiration from vinyl records and phonographs to create a unique way of displaying plants through music. Each plant, like a vinyl record, has its own shape and color. As the plant grows and changes, its rotation alters its form. Using sensors to track these changes, we translate them into music, allowing the plant to 'play' its own melody based on its size, shape, and color.
Hardware Design
Prototype
I employed Kinect to track the plant's changing shape and specific color, translating this data into 8 points within the Processing program. By altering the position of these 8 points, the program generates different tones, which I assigned to 8 piano notes. This setup enables the plant to 'play' various melodies based on its movements and color changes.
App Design
The application adds extra value to the product. Users can utilize it to save the generated music and monitor the growth of their plants. Additionally, they can share their music with friends and post it on Facebook, enhancing the social aspect of the experience.
