rekindling
rekindling is a game designed to promote conversation within families affected by cancer. Family members answer playful and thought-provoking questions to collectively build a unique magnetic structure and empathy towards one another. I led the physical product design and engineering for this year-long master’s capstone project.
2019 Best in Design Finalist | DesignPhiladelphia
Mechanical Design Lead | Industrial Design Lead
09 2018 - 05 2019
Product Design
Product Components
user experience flow
I needed to design and engineer the central hub to light up when pressed. Since shapes were to be stacked on the hub, I decided to make the outer ring of the hub clickable by creating an array of momentary switches so that the center was stationary. Integrating the button into the hub makes the experience more seamless, as it is accessible from all angles.
Design for manufacturability & materials
To speak a little more technically about the game components, one of the main features we designed for was the stackability of the shapes. We landed on a tetrahedral geometry for its consistent building faces, and developed a unique corner interface for pressfitting spherical magnets while giving them free range of motion to self locate and stack without the worry of polarity.
As a delighter for the user, I wanted to make the button ring satisfying to press. After doing research on existing methods to enhance “clickability,” I designed the ring to house three momentary switches. In between each switch, I included a spring-loaded stopper that prevented the button from tipping, and provided additional spring back since the switches’ deflection is minimal (2mm). The stopper is a 4-40 screw that passes through the base to be pressfit into the ring. In between the ring and the base is a spring.
One of the technical challenges of the hub design that I had to overcome was diffusibility. Illuminating the shapes correctly was at the center of the experience, and thus I experimented with several prototypes exploring diffusibility. After varying the distance between the LEDs and the hub surface as well as material finish, I ultimately used a thin-walled ABS 3D print to enclose a Neopixel ring.
I performed a quick FEA on the snap fits on the central hub to help determine size of fillets and taper. From there, I wanted to select a plastic that allowed for deflection without plastic deformation. Since I was 3D printing this prototype, I researched available materials and selected nylon (PA) for its flexibility and ability to diffuse light.
V1 - too many components, hard to assemble
V2 (final) - reduced # of parts, integrated snap fits for assembly.
fabrication & prototyping
design for “clickability”
“Clickability” prototyping
prototyping
