Tinkle
The installation is to invite what is familiar in a space that is unfamiliar. The reason is less goal-driven and more experimental, speculative, because of the tension between the incongruity of the expected form and the proposed content. There isn’t much of a behavior change we’re prescribing on our users. We wanted to allow users to be a part of an intimate experience that had snippet thoughts for their toilet experience. We believe the experiment is critical and introspective.
It is not enough just to disconnect. What is needed is more reflection in spaces we inhabit every day such as the most frequented: the bathroom. The incongruity between form (toilet) and content (toilet narrating) can be light-hearted wit, and potentially be a catalyst for thinking. The experience of our reformed toilet experience will elicit intimate and curious thoughts in participants.
Role
Concept
User Research
Fabrication
Physical Computing
Tools
Arduino
Infrared Sensor
Light Sensor
Collaborator
Suzanne Li, Voice
User Journey & Interaction Cycle
There are three stages of actions. User enters. User sits. User leaves. Each triggers different audio piece. Inorder to determine the stages, we installed IR distance sensor at entrance, a photocell (light sensor) at the toilet bowl, and a spot light directly on top. When user opens the curtain, value changes for IR distance sensor, triggering the enter-stage audio. When user sits, photocell value changes, triggering the sit-stage audio. When user stands, photocell value changes again, triggering the leave-stage audio.
"I like the parallel of the normal experience on the toilet.
Getting people think about solitude inside and existential thoughts
versus just scrolling through your phone."
"I wish there was other element that would keep me sitting here,
some ambient music, lights. You want to engross the person."
"There's a bunch of time where i feel like there could be more pauses
to process my thought. "
"I find myself closing my eyes a lot just to listen to what was happening."
