INTELLIGENT BOOKMARK
Project Intelligence explores how technology can improve the way people interact with everyday objects. The project challenged us to design and build a functional product that responds to users or its environment using sensors, a programmable circuit board, and lighting.
The goal was to create a new user experience by seamlessly integrating form, interaction, and electronics into one cohesive design.
-CAD
-Ideation
-UX
-Coding
-Electronics
PAIN POINTS
SKETCH IDEATION
I explored three everyday pain points where interaction could improve the user experience: the final direction I chose was reading, where I identified two key problems: losing your page and struggling to read as the room gets darker. This led to the idea of an interactive bookmark with integrated lighting that responds to how the book is being used.
Sketch development focused on refining the bookmark’s form while working within strict size constraints. Each concept had to remain compact enough to fit naturally on a book without interfering with reading.
INSPIRATION
REVISIONS
CIRCUIT
PROTOTYPE
FINAL PHYSICAL
CAD
Revised #1
Revised #2/Final
Digital Mock-up
Final, Real Prototype
A foamboard prototype allowed the design to be tested quickly at full scale before committing to a final model. It helped evaluate the bookmark’s size, proportions, fit on a book, light positioning, and overall interaction, making it easier to identify problems and refine the form.
After finishing the design, there were some key points I could change.
For the final physical design, I decided to print with a black filament. The material absorbs the light so that it can concentrate the brightness on the page. The collapsing form works via a telescoping rail that falls into itself.
The code controls the bookmark’s lighting based on ambient light and whether the device is open. The LDR detects when the room is dark, while the IR sensor determines whether the bookmark is open; when both conditions are met, the RGB LEDs illuminate with a warm reading light.
The final design required integrated electronics to create a responsive reading experience. An Arduino Nano controls the system, using an LDR to detect ambient light, a Sharp IR sensor to detect the book’s position, and an RGB LED strip
Collapsed Form
In-Context
Iteration #1
Iteration #2
Pictured above is the least complicated version of the rails.
Final Iteration
The final form was designed entirely through Fusion, through an iterative process of designing and printing to make sure the Device functions as conceptualized.
Final Iteration of the device. A cut was made at the bottom for better stability. The final (and most complicated) Version of the rails are also featured in this design. Resulting in a slim final form at a miniscule 10x10cm .
Final renders composed in KeyShot and defined with Artificial Intelligence tools.
FINAL RENDERS
