Eric Wu · CLIENT: EW Design
Cobble is a Bluetooth bookshelf speaker with an interactive interface on the top surface. Four magnetic pegs can be placed in different patterns on a grid. When a preset pattern is completed, the speaker plays a saved sound profile, such as a nature or white noise loop. Cobble also works as a normal Bluetooth speaker for audio from a connected device. The placing of pegs recalls the board game Go and invites a short moment of quiet concentration. The prototype uses a wooden casing, sand-blasted acrylic panels and LED light strips.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Cobble is a speaker with an interactive interface at the top. The user has access to 4 pegs that they can place in various patterns. When preset patterns connect, the speaker plays a saved tone. The speaker is made with the concept of "inadvertent mindfulness." Studies have found that the simple action of concentrating on one's actions offer moments of respite. By placing pegs, much like how one places stones in a Go game, the user enjoys a moment of peace.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- 7 1/2" (width) * 7 5/16" (depth) * 2" (height)
- Tags
- Speaker, Office, Mindfulness, Audio, Music
- Production Technology
- The prototype was constructed with a wooden casing with a four-panel construction. Sand-blasted acrylic panels are used to diffuse the lighting from LED light strips. The prototype control panel was made from an Arduino nano and will be replaced with more efficient chips in mass production. We experimented with various sensing methods and settled on magnetic sensing with Hall effect sensors as they appeared to be the most reliable.
- Design Challenge
- The hardest part was figuring out the sweet spot of a big enough surface area and a compact enough footprint, the product being a shelf speaker after all. People wanted to engage with the interface but too much of it offered diminishing returns and research participants had more complaints of space constraints.
- Project Duration
- Duration: 6 months
Location: Rhode Island, United States - Operation Flow
- The product behaves like a normal bluetooth speaker, so the user can connect to it with an end device and play whatever they want.
The unique interaction is that it can save and activate various sound profiles, which can be activated via placement of the magnetic pegs. The user would have to download a mobile app to change the default profiles, which are nature and white noise sound loops. - Research
- User research was conducted in collaboration with co-working spaces. We tested hypotheses like the following:
- How much spacing and how big do people prefer the pegs to be
- How many rows and columns work the best, offering novelty and comfort without overloading the user
- What footprint works the best without sacrificing too much room for interaction - Inspiration
- The design originated in a desire to question the prevalence of active mindfulness practices today. We have meditation apps, mindfulness sessions offered by corporations, and many more. While mindfulness is great, there are alternative activities that humans go to for similar purposes, without bearing the label of "mindfulness." Go, the Asian board game using stones, was a primary inspiration. What if we could have something built in that stimulates a sense of mindfulness, just like Go?
- Image Credits
- Photos: Eric Wu
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