Prompt was to design a single slice toaster and explore how using visual cues and simple LEDs suggest the product's interaction and functionality. I decided to cater this single slice toaster to a single person by reducing visual noise and hiding low-use features like the heat adjustment dial.
Roles: Industrial Design, Interaction Design, Physical Computing, Prototyping
Materials: PLA
Tools: Solidworks, Keyshot, 3D printer
Materials: PLA
Tools: Solidworks, Keyshot, 3D printer
Reducing Visual Noise:
The heat settings aren’t accessible unless the user starts the toaster by sliding the lever down. This reduces visual noise when not in use and controls the narrative, lessening chance of misuse
Improving User Experience:
One of the biggest issues about toasters is that there's no indicator for when the toast is ready. Along the sliders is a light gradient that raises upwards as the toast gets ready
Keyshot Renders
The last animation is of the cancel function – you press down and the slider pops back up
Physical Model
To steer away from accidental branding, our physical models are gray models, putting the focus more on the form and interaction
Process
Image board: to get a feel for what kind of toaster I wanted to design, as well as inspiration
Sketches exploring different types of interactions and different ways the slider interaction would work
Using Solidworks and Keyshot, I modeled out some of my favorite sketches to see what it would look like, before I began 3D printing
