overview

Googly is an interactive eye module to anthropomorphize everyday objects. Googly detects user's presence and gives respective feedbacks based on proxemic interactions. Googly has two modes of emotion: neutral and angry. Googly can give affordance to users with its glance and influence their behaviors. This leads to various applications of Googly, including promotions, warnings, and surveillances.

Process work in detail | Github for Googly code

SKILLS

UX | Industrial Design | Physical Computing | Hardware Prototyping

Awards & Press release

Grand Prix award with fundings for Undergraduate Research Program by KAIST
Exhibition at Tokyo Design Week 2015
Gizmodo Japan
Pecha Kucha Night

Googly’s interactions are based on proxemics.

Applications

Promotional Purpose

Googly's eyes that follow the user are great at grabbing attention. Googly gives affordance by leading the user to follow where Googly is glancing at, resulting as a great tool for promotions. For instance, during Tokyo Design Week, people took more of my business cards on the table when Googly was set to glance at them.

Giving Effective Warning

Angry eyes can be effective to keep the user away at distance. For example, if angry Googly is placed on a dangerous object such as stove, it can give children a warning not to touch and stay away from it.

Inducing Honesty

Googly can be effective in places where honesty is needed, such as voluntary paying station. As people tend to be more honest and responsible when they feel they are being watched, Googly can encourage them to pay, even when unattended by a person.

Concept Background

What if everyday objects are alive and interactive?

What kind of new experience can be achieved when the user feels objects are alive?

We consciously and unconsciously assign characteristics and personalities to objects. It is not rare to see people naming their cars, computers, or other objects they hold dear and treat those as if they are alive. We oftentimes see ‘faces’ in car’s headlights and grille and imagine possible characteristics the car may have. People ‘eye-bomb’ in public places with eyes stickers. Characterization of public bus in Seoul has gone viral among kids. The idea to design an interactive eye module that anthropomorphizes everyday objects started by reflecting on such human behavior.

Concept Development

Design Goals

Responsive - As an interactive device that responds to the user, Googly should have good responsiveness for quality interactions.
Scalable - Googly should be able to be attached to almost any everyday objects.
Aesthetically pleasing - Googly should have an aesthetic value. It should be aesthetically pleasing to be turned on even in ambient environment.
Appropriately realistic - While maintaining the overall look and motion of eyes, Googly should avoid falling into uncanny valley.
Compact - Googly should be as compact as possible to be naturally integrated to the object attached onto.