Nighttime Tactile Music Player
This project was for a design competition held by the Philadelphia Museum of Art. AMBI is a small, tactile music player that replaces phone-based sleep sounds. Users move a magnetic metal ball between divots to select soundscapes, creating a unobtrusive way to wind down before sleep.
Concept
Early versions explored how users might "select" sound physically rather than through a screen.
The first sketch model used discrete markers to represent different environments like city, forest, and storm.
The concept later shifted to a smoother interaction; a single metal ball that snaps into magnetic divots, letting users choose and adjust sounds through that unique interface.
Result
The prototype was SLA-printed and wired so the ball completed a circuit by bridging two pins. Tests confirmed the interaction felt intuitive to users, but they wanted clearer cues for which sound was active. These insights led to plans to make larger divots, visible engraving, and a smaller overall form for the next iteration.
