In intro to Interaction design the team created Bondfire, a device with two major components: a lamp and a ring. The illumination and size of the lamp increases once the ring is placed next to the lamp. The size and illumination signify the mental state and the bond of the individual with people represented through the colour on the lamp. The idea came up from our discussions on feelings of loneliness and homesickness among students in CIID. The artefact was designed with an aim to create deep connection and memories for people in the community.
Individuals have a lamp and a ring. The size of the lamp increases once we meet with the person whose light is fading (represented through the colour of the flame). The rings worn by the two people communicate the state of proximity with the other person and act as an input for the lamp.
The idea was borne out of the metaphor of a bonfire signifying collective energy in proximity. As a part of the class, the brief was to design and prototype an interactive “computational artifact” related to your experience of moving to Bergamo and adjusting to life at CIID. ‘ The bonfire metaphor made a lot of sense in this context for us. We adopted newly learnt concepts of Krazy 8, storytelling, value of maps, quick feedback loops, and working on ‘How might we statements’. What helped us was embodied interactions, and comprehending the potential emotions as feedback based on the controls of the ring and the lamp. We did body storming and multiple storytelling sessions to iterate on arriving at the final prototype. And we finally made a Bond-fire!!!
