TideTalk
The Story
Driven by climate change, rising sea levels pose a serious threat to the next generation. This includes college students, as millions live in coastal cities but are unaware of the issue. Only 27% of students discuss climate change information in regular conversation (Head, 2024), so for my Human-Centered Design Methods class, I designed TideTalk as an interactive keychain to spark on-campus conversation.
The Design
To mimic the constraints of a real design brief, materials were limited to an Arduino circuit, basic sensors, and a 8" x 5" x 1.5” plastic box.
Gesture activation. TideTalk is triggered by swiping to the right, creating easy yet personal involvement for the user.
Dynamic water effect. Blue and white LEDs fill the box to simulate rising water in an attention-grabbing way.
Urgency alarm. A flashing red LED is accompanied by a buzzer alarm that activates after a user’s gesture, creating a sense of urgency.
Symbolic form. Metallic structure represents a sleek cityscape, compelling and relevant for urban students.
Design Methods
The development of the TideTalk prototype placed a heavy emphasis on user-centered design methods, ranging from concept to ideation. I gained experience in conducting user research and making data-driven decisions.
Final Design Poster
One succinct compilation of the research and development behind my device.
