University Brief
One-Off
Wood-turning | Glassblowing | C++ Arduino Programming
Oak | Soda-Lime Glass | Acrylic
Industrial & Sympathetic Design
A dual-function message sender and night light
The Problem
In long-distance relationships, communication is often reduced to screens, text, and notifications. While efficient, these modes lack the physical and emotional nuance of touch.
Proposed Solution
Translating touch into presence across distance.
This project responds by exploring how product design can:
reintroduce touch
create subtle, ambient communication
support emotional connection beyond screens
01
The user places their finger on the small pebble, ergnomically designed to sit in the palm and invite touch
02
The device detects their heartbeat and transmits it to its paired light which begins to pulse softly, mirroring that rhythm.
03
What would normally be a message becomes something quieter:
a shared, ambient signal of presence.
An intimate way of saying “I’m thinking of you.”
Prototypes
Development focused on:
Natural interaction
Subtle feedback
Emotional resonance
The project combined:
Arduino programming for biometric sensing
Glassblowing methods for light diffusion
Key Design Decisions:
Tactile Form
The weighty glass pebble shape invites holding, reinforcing comfort and familiarity.
Sympathetic Interaction
The object responds to human input (touch, heartbeat) rather than commands.
Material Language
Wood and glass balance warmth and fragility, supporting the emotional tone of the interaction. And bicarbonate bubbles in the glass to diffuse the light gently.
Crafted from recycled soda-lime glass and locally grown and felled oak timber from Scottish Woods in Fife.
Sustainability