The Loop
For a 300-level Human-Centered Design course, we were assigned the ‘Enhancements for Mundane Objects’ project. I was asked to explore the potential for enhancing the user relationship between the user and common objects that are to an extent invisible but necessary. In this project I was asked to observe and identify a common object and improve upon its interface with its users by finding a relationship between the object and context that compliment each other equally.
For the assignment, I focused on pillows. The notion of “sharing a bed” with someone (something) is highly personal and important, so why do we neglect our pillows? I set out to design a pillow that you needed to interact with, almost as though you were sharing your bed with another person.
The Loop is a large circular tube pillow (18’ around, 20” circumference). While testing, people interacted with the pillow’s many affordances (many of which hadn’t been thought of during the design process). Users were able to interact with a familiar object they had ignored, but had now found new uses and appreciations for.
For the assignment, I focused on pillows. The notion of “sharing a bed” with someone (something) is highly personal and important, so why do we neglect our pillows? I set out to design a pillow that you needed to interact with, almost as though you were sharing your bed with another person.
The Loop is a large circular tube pillow (18’ around, 20” circumference). While testing, people interacted with the pillow’s many affordances (many of which hadn’t been thought of during the design process). Users were able to interact with a familiar object they had ignored, but had now found new uses and appreciations for.