2022
Collaborators
Leyla Kraft ︎︎︎
Leyla Kraft ︎︎︎
Spill the Tea: Mari
DESCRIPTION
ABSTRACT
Spill the Tea takes Marianne Brandt’s classic Bauhaus teapot design and adds digital functionalities for connecting with friends over tea time. The pot offers the possibility to record, send and listen to voice messages during a well deserved break, through some simple movements of the pot itself. The object’s soul is represented by Mari, the teapot confidant with a classy personality. Mari will explain the entire process to the user through the interfaces on the screen, always keeping a polite and educated attitude.
INTERFACE & INTERACTION MODALITY
The project includes a physical object and digital interfaces, both interacting with a smartphone. The teapot consists of two main parts: the top part includes the lid, the smartphone slot and the portion where all the electronics are put. The bottom part is the major body of the teapot (a half sphere supported by a cross shaped stand) and it includes a half circle handle and the spout. Movement is the principal interaction between the object and the user. Thanks to light and inclination sensors it is possible to go through the entire process of recording, sending and listening to audio messages: upon lifting, the pot turns on and informs the user if there are any voice messages from friends, tilting the pot allows to hear the messages and opening the lid permits to record a message that can be sent by closing the lid.
USER EXPERIENCE
The user experience is simple due to the fact that the teapot is supposed to be used during a moment of relax. The object has one rotary encoder on the top which is used to slide through the different interfaces and select the desired option. The interfaces are shown in the screen on top of the pot, through which Mari can guide the user and provide the object’s operating instructions. Since the idea of the tea party has its roots in the Victorian era, Mari’s personality is that of an educated and elegant woman who will keep company to the user while they’re listening to the latest gossip or sharing their personal stories with their closest friends.
ABSTRACT
Spill the Tea takes Marianne Brandt’s classic Bauhaus teapot design and adds digital functionalities for connecting with friends over tea time. The pot offers the possibility to record, send and listen to voice messages during a well deserved break, through some simple movements of the pot itself. The object’s soul is represented by Mari, the teapot confidant with a classy personality. Mari will explain the entire process to the user through the interfaces on the screen, always keeping a polite and educated attitude.
INTERFACE & INTERACTION MODALITY
The project includes a physical object and digital interfaces, both interacting with a smartphone. The teapot consists of two main parts: the top part includes the lid, the smartphone slot and the portion where all the electronics are put. The bottom part is the major body of the teapot (a half sphere supported by a cross shaped stand) and it includes a half circle handle and the spout. Movement is the principal interaction between the object and the user. Thanks to light and inclination sensors it is possible to go through the entire process of recording, sending and listening to audio messages: upon lifting, the pot turns on and informs the user if there are any voice messages from friends, tilting the pot allows to hear the messages and opening the lid permits to record a message that can be sent by closing the lid.
USER EXPERIENCE
The user experience is simple due to the fact that the teapot is supposed to be used during a moment of relax. The object has one rotary encoder on the top which is used to slide through the different interfaces and select the desired option. The interfaces are shown in the screen on top of the pot, through which Mari can guide the user and provide the object’s operating instructions. Since the idea of the tea party has its roots in the Victorian era, Mari’s personality is that of an educated and elegant woman who will keep company to the user while they’re listening to the latest gossip or sharing their personal stories with their closest friends.
DESIGN INSPIRATION
Spill the Tea is inspired by Marianne Brandt’s Tea Infuser and Strainer↗, part of her Tea and Coffee Service, created at the Bauhaus in 1925-6.
CODE
Arduino code can be found here↗
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
The manufacturing process of the teapot was done with a 3D printer and laser cutter. The goal was to have the teapot body contain all the electronic components in an unobtrusive way while uninterrupting its geometric form (at least while closed). The body of the teapot is 3D printed with a tolerance of 3mm, the plywood used is 6mm and the plexiglass is 4mm. There are magnets used to secure the top to the body, a hinge for the lid, and felt lining for the phone insert. There are four sensors, two for sensing light, one accelerometer and one encoder.
TOOLS
3D Printer: Body and Base, Spout, Braces for Handle, Lid and Lid Cover, Hinge, Magnets Adjusters
Laser Cutter: Top Inlay Stack (4 stepped layers), Hinge Support, Handle, Knob, Plexiglass for small visible screen
SOFTWARE
Fusion 360, Figma, Adobe Illustrator, Arduino IDE
COMPONENT LIST
T-vK/ESP32-BLE-Keyboard (Arduino)
2 light sensors
Accelerometer (Seeed Studio, Acceleration Sensor Development Tools Grove, 3-Axis Digital Accelerometer)
Rotary encoder (Seeed Studio Accessories Grove, Encoder)
Spill the Tea is inspired by Marianne Brandt’s Tea Infuser and Strainer↗, part of her Tea and Coffee Service, created at the Bauhaus in 1925-6.
CODE
Arduino code can be found here↗
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
The manufacturing process of the teapot was done with a 3D printer and laser cutter. The goal was to have the teapot body contain all the electronic components in an unobtrusive way while uninterrupting its geometric form (at least while closed). The body of the teapot is 3D printed with a tolerance of 3mm, the plywood used is 6mm and the plexiglass is 4mm. There are magnets used to secure the top to the body, a hinge for the lid, and felt lining for the phone insert. There are four sensors, two for sensing light, one accelerometer and one encoder.
TOOLS
3D Printer: Body and Base, Spout, Braces for Handle, Lid and Lid Cover, Hinge, Magnets Adjusters
Laser Cutter: Top Inlay Stack (4 stepped layers), Hinge Support, Handle, Knob, Plexiglass for small visible screen
SOFTWARE
Fusion 360, Figma, Adobe Illustrator, Arduino IDE
COMPONENT LIST
T-vK/ESP32-BLE-Keyboard (Arduino)
2 light sensors
Accelerometer (Seeed Studio, Acceleration Sensor Development Tools Grove, 3-Axis Digital Accelerometer)
Rotary encoder (Seeed Studio Accessories Grove, Encoder)
