INDUSTRY:
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
YEAR:
2022 - PRESENT
EXPERIENCE:
USER RESEARCH
SOFTWARE:
The Wheelchair Project
Stone Mind is a unique 3D design project that brings together the concept of a human head, sculpted from meticulously arranged digital stones. Inspired by traditional sculpture, this model captures the essence of natural durability and artistry. The goal was to blend classic sculptural form with digital techniques, creating a design with depth and aesthetic appeal. The final model was optimized for product photography, resulting in impactful visuals that could be used in marketing, advertising, or art portfolios.
about
Loneliness often reveals itself in ordinary routines. Nearly 1 in 3 adults feel lonely at least once a week. Everyday rituals like drinking water – frequent, repetitive, and usually unnoticed - become moments where connection feels absent. In my family, hiccups were seen as a sign that someone was thinking of you. This small superstition shaped how I understood connection, and it became the foundation of my design problem: How might I transform ordinary hydration into a moment of care between people who care about each other?
The challenge was to create a device that:
Felt emotionally present without being intrusive
Was intuitive and dependable in everyday use
Built trust through clear, unambiguous feedback
challenge.
The primary challenge in this project was to achieve a realistic stone texture that would evoke a tangible, physical presence while maintaining accurate human proportions and detail. Each “stone” had to be carefully placed and adjusted for visual harmony. The model also needed to be adapted for photography, requiring a precise balance of light and shadow to capture every texture and detail in the final images.
research.
To ground the design in real behavior and emotional needs, I conducted a series of qualitative research activities:
Cultural probes to understand hydration habits and personal rituals
Hydration often happens in quiet, transitional moments rather than social settings
Users associated care with with intentional pauses
Small, repeated rituals held more emotional meaning than occasional grand gestures
Scenario-based testing to explore use case, personalization, and long-term use
Emotional value was amplified when the sender could encode meaning into the interaction
Users preferred open-ended personalization and minimal explanation over prescriptive instructions
User experience testing focused on intuitiveness, gesture discovery, and emotional response during interaction
Subtle, ambient feedback was preferred over explicit alerts
When gesture recognition felt inconsistent, trust dropped quickly
Clear confirmation of activation was critical
System Usability Scale (SUS) assessments to validate usability
The system scored high on perceived ease of use
Users described the experience as calming rather than effortful
Reliability mattered more to users than feature richness
iterative process.
Prototype 1:
Tested basic gesture sensing and LED response
Revealed issues with accidental activation and unclear feedback
Prototype 2:
Improved sensor placement and enclosure
Introduced clearer gesture-to-light mapping
Users requested stronger confirmation of activation
Prototype 3:
Refined gesture accuracy and LED animations
Integrated planter structure to soften the technological presence and generated CAD and low-fidelity models
Supported more intentional, repeatable interactions
results.
The finished model and photographs produced for STONE MIND exceeded expectations. The product photos delivered a powerful visual impact, highlighting the unique texture and structure of the stones under varied lighting. The model became a striking artistic centerpiece, serving both as an art piece and an effective marketing asset. The images were later used in campaigns and as inspirational visuals within design and art communities.
Physically, the final prototype brings together refined gesture detection, adjustable LED animations, and a structured and cohesive planter enclosure. The enclosure was developed through iterative CAD exploration in Rhino, while rapid physical prototyping supported testing sensor placement, enclosure proportions, and interaction ergonomics. The form is intentionally restrained, allowing the interaction and emotional experience to remain central rather than performative.
MODE 1
Swipe right/left
Fast LEDs
Fast pour
Soothing color
MODE 2
Swipe up/down
Slow LEDs
Slow pour
Soothing color
MODE 3
Hover/push/pull
LED loop
No pour
Rainow colors
testimonial.
The STONE MIND project is a stunning, textured centerpiece in our portfolio, with every detail of the 'stone head' meticulously crafted.