While designing the “interface” of this device, a lot of effort has been made to achieve a simple affordance, creating something easy and simple to use, but at the same time new and unusual for this kind of device.
In this project the form is connected to the methods of use symbolically: the device is usedlike a dandelion is: by blowing on it.
On the front of each device there’s a ring of light sourrounding a little hole: this is used for both the inputs and outputs of the system. This ring resembles the visual form of a dandelion. Normally it is barely visible, lit at 20% of its maximum brightness, both to give the idea of something alive, and to be seen even when the ambient is dark, diffusing a pleasant, warm light.
When one of the two users blows into his device he receives a visual feedback about the actual weather conditions of the place where the other user is. This feedback is projected on a smooth semi-transparent surface inside the device, and can be seen by looking into the little hole.
At the same time the dandelion ring of the other device starts blinking to suggest that the other person has used his device, and doing so has sent him a “ping”, a symbolic affection signal, that should be answered, in the same way. The ring will continue blinking quietly until it receives a response.
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