Prototype_01 at IDII

Our first prototype was composed of a phone stand, a headset, a computer and two speakers.

A person would go into the inflatable space, pick up the receiver ad press a button located at shoulder-height on the phone stand. The button was hooked to a USB mouse that triggered the recording, the playback and the panning. The message would be played back through two speakers sewed on the ceiling of the inflatable.

In a second iteration, we replaced the headset with two floor switched and two microphones that hung from the ceiling. The prototype was exhibited in a dry run test in the institute.

We found out that people enjoyed engaging their whole body in the interaction (pressing the switch on the floor and reaching out to grab the microphones). We also found out that we had to work on the esthetics of the switches and that the software jumbled after 10 minutes of heavy use.

For our third prototype, we worked on expanding our idea and polishing its esthetics.

We moved from using two microphones to using eight microphones, with the corresponding switches. We used to relay boards and two microcontrollers instead of the USB mice. Also, we used transparent plexyglass switches, placed underneath the fabric floor of the inflatable.

By the time we had to exhibit in Milan, we were happy with the way Audiografitti looked and behaved. At this point, we concentrated on making the prototype sturdier to withstand a week of exhibition.