PRODUCTJill Kuyt

Forte

PRODUCTJill Kuyt
Forte

A collaborative project between product design and engineering students, giving the real experience of working on an interdisciplinary team. Students teamed up to give an electronic student a physical design and prototype housing to present their senior project.

A noise cancelling headphone concept designed to hold real components, featuring a material-led hinge mechanism.The primary challenge of this project was to maintain design intent while working with real components and other team members. Communication would be critical to the success of the project, as well as maintaining timelines and sharing information.

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COMPONENTS & CONSTRAINTS

The headphone design created by my partner requires:

  • Battery (AAA)

  • Speaker Drivers

  • LED Indicators

  • Audio Jack

  • Actuators

  • 2 custom PCBs

 
 

The design needs to be comfortable for a variety of users, versatile for many applications, and sensitive to current style and material trends.

 

INSPIRATION

 
 

For inspiration, I sought current style trends. Faceted forms, contrasting materials and finishes, and simplicity were paramount. I also wanted to look at the natural shape of the human ear in order to take a unique approach to the design that balanced the aggressive and technical feel of electronics with the softer, homier materials and shapes that were current in interior design and consumer products.

I also investigated existing products, paying particular attention to their connection methods and how they achieve adjustability with twisting and flexing.

 

FORM DEVELOPMENT

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Sketch models were made to explore forms in 3D. This was an important step to visualize the size and form and how the different pieces would move to create a comfortable fit.

 
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Aspects of all five concepts were combined to create a unique design that met the goals of adaptability, comfort, and style.

 

COMMUNICATION

During the process, I needed to keep in contact with my EE partner to understand the changing technical requirements. Based on the preliminary drawings, my partner created a layout for the internal components. It quickly became clear that the assembled components were not going to fit.

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FINAL DESIGN

The contrasting angles and dynamic materials of the Forte headphones capture a new form of silence. Selective noise canceling allows the user to hear certain frequencies of sound, maintaining safety and awareness while giving a  comfortable, high quality audio experience.