BACKGROUND
DISTRACTING BY DESIGN.
In a world that constantly competes for your attention, sustained focus has become a rarity. College students struggle to escape endless phone notifications and a “pick-up” addiction, fighting against their ability to sit down and focus on a task.
CONTEXT
SAFETY WITH VISIBILITY.
For many college students, studying doesn’t begin until after the day has ended. Libraries and common spaces become second homes deep into the night. But when studying concludes late, the journey back can feel uncertain or unsafe.
OBJECTIVE
A BALANCING ACT.
How can a small, portable product help students stay focused in a world that constantly fights for their attention, while also keeping them safe as they travel home at night?
INSIGHT
A KNOWN TECHNIQUE.
The Pomodoro Technique is a scientifically-proven productivity method that breaks study time into intervals of working and breaking time. Incoporating this technique into a physical form, pulls the functionality away from their disctraction device, all while aiming to reintroduce rhythm and reward to studying.
AN DELIGHTFUL EXPERIENCE DEFINED BY ITS FORM.
The arms of the light function as the input device, controlling both cycle time and state. When closed in the nested position, the light is off. When opened into the “stand” position, the user can adjust the arm displacement to select cycle durations of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, or 60 minutes.
A SMALL BUT MIGHTY TOOL.
After selecting a cycle, the light guides work and rest periods through subtle shifts in color temperature — cool for focus, warm for rest. Color temperature aligns with scientific evidence that cooler light promotes alertness while warmer light supports rest, aiding in focus and memory retention.
BEAUTIFUL INSIDE AND OUT.
The internal architecture is designed with the same level of care as the exterior. The final form emerges from both the spatial constraints of a bag and the physical requirements of its internal components.
DESIGNED TO GO ANYWHERE.
For students constantly on the go, the lamp is compact and unobtrusive, with a form defined by the rectangular geometry of most bags.
INTERACTIONS YOU FEEL.
There’s a quiet satisfaction in something simple and understated on the outside, yet complex beneath the surface. Tactile details and interactions make the Study Lamp a delight to hold and use endlessly.
IMPACT
A SYSTEM IN BALANCE.
This project marked my first fully integrated electronics product, bringing multiple disciplines into a single form. Design decisions were informed by internal components, user behavior, and environmental constraints, resulting in a form shaped as much by function as by context.
