THE INNER EAR
CAPTURING & PHYSICALIZING HOME VIBRATION DATA
The Inner Ear is a ceramic device that captures vibrations within participants’ homes. Once captured, the Inner Ear becomes a 3D printed porcelain physicalization of the vibration data.
The Inner Ear is a Research-Through-Design (RtD) project. Led, by Audrey Desjardins of Studio Tilt (and UW/D).
In contrast with ‘always on’ data collecting devices in home environments, like smart home cameras or voice assistants, the Inner Ear allows home dwellers to intentionally capture vibrations of their choice.
The final form of the Inner Ear memorializes only one significant instance of data capture.
We purposefully asked participants to choose only one data capture for us to physicalize. Our intention was to move away from large—almost infinite—IoT data archives. Instead, we wanted to celebrate one capture and to build a physical object that would invite curiosity and contemplation.
We resisted the desire for direct legibility of data in favor of building a broader, perhaps more holistic experience, of the data.
Project
Interaction Design Research
Skills
Design Research, Interaction Design, Web Design, Design Filmmaking
My Role
Lead Web Designer, Director / Producer, Researcher
Timeline
4 Quarters (Fall 2022 – Summer 203)
Collaborators
Audrey Desjardins, Freesoul El-Shabazz Thompson, Julia Siamo, Bill Xiong, Brock Craft, Janey Yee
SPECULATIVE DESIGN — INTERACTION DESIGN — DESIGN FILMMAKING
