HelloCoffee, independent Study Physical Computing and Robotics

Concept: A coffeepot that uses affective display to covey task status and state.

Design: HelloCoffee was designed to react to the user as a sort of cheerful servant, similar to a faithful dog or loyal pet. The more attention recieved, the more it reacts. When the button is pushed, the coffee goes into brew mode. The lid closes, the eyes open wide, and the LEDs turn on. Once the coffee is done brewing the LEDs turn off and the eyes are wide open. As the coffee cools the eyes lower. Wide-open eyes mean fresh coffee; closed eyes mean old cold coffee. Designing affective behaviors into products may increase user understanding. Emotion may help ease user frustrations in cases where they cannot see or hear what the problem is, instead affective display will let them know to be patient and understanding, much to the same affect of a sick pet.

Role: Conceptualized, designed, built and programmed robot as an independent project.

Tags: build, collaboration, conceptualize, design, research, social robotics

Last Updated: 2012/01/15 2:48pm