MusikBox: Prototyping a Tangible Interface Device

June 2019

We wanted to prototype a tangible speaker that engaged more than your ears with a pleasant blast from the past.

The MusikBox app on a phone next to the speaker with its coloured Tetris blocks

Concept

Brainstorming sketches, including a Tetris home where each cube represents a chore, and early box forms

For our assignment we decided to prototype a construction based device with some constraints.

After venturing through many everyday objects, we decided to make a tangible speaker where users arrange the Tetris blocks horizontally to create their own playlist.

Prototype

We prepared a 3D model on Rhino 6 and a DIY box to further test out the interaction in our Wizard of Oz study.

Snapshots from our Wizard of Oz

Wizard of Oz study snapshots: lifting the lid to store bricks, connecting the MusikBox app, arranging blocks and sliding the volume brick

Annotated MusikBox features: block layout sensors, play and pause block, volume control, block storage, sound output, previous playlist and app connectivity