O'dio

Communicate in music : speaker for connection

2017
Team Project - Contribution 40%
Industrial design / UX design

Project Overview

What can be a new means of communication,
especially for remote relationships?

We're living much bigger world as it used to be, with more remote relationships with lover, friends, and family due to work and study. But the ways of communication are still limited when it comes to intimate relationships, delivering and exchanging emotions and sympathys.

2017 / Team Project

This project was led by our team consisting of three designers who experienced remote relationships with friends, family, and a lover.

Industrial design
UX / Interaction
User research

far-to-close.

Background

Remote relationships we met, we experienced

It was one of the easiest topics to find interviewees, since remote relationships are now so common and everywhere, including ourselves.

Transition of communication 'Message' to 'Sympathy'

The main focus of communication used to be exchanging messages. But for remote relationships, we focused on exploring ways to deliver sympathy and share the same moment together.

Interview to Insight

We need a natural trigger for conversation
and better means of communication.

Music for

Synchronization

"Easiest thing to do together, listening to the same song at the same moment"

The feeling that you're sharing something together, gives you a feeling of synchronization.
Share the moment by listening to the same song at the same time.

Emotion and mood

"What you listen to can show your mood today."

The condition of other person becomes a trigger for a conversation.
The music somebody is listening to, tells a lot.

Form exploration

Early inspirations about the form started from
old radios, telephones, and LP players, which all have something in common; dial.
We pursued next version of dial with more availability and enjoyable factor.

Concept

"communicate in music : "

O'dio is a bluetooth speaker for interaction and communication between lovers and friends through music.
Rather than select which song to listen to, it focuses on listening to what the other person is streaming at the same moment.

feature

01

Next version of dial,
touch-and-slide for interaction

Rather physical rotation, the new dial uses touch-and-slide interaction,
as virtually turning a disc. The upper part is for controlling music.

02

Turn the center to expand for connect mode.
You can choose who to listen together.

The slanted surface makes difference when it's rotated, expanding to 'connect mode'.
The new gap is used to select who to listen to, or send music message.

03

Friends and communication focused
music streaming application

Unlike previous streaming services which focus on playlists and songs,
O'dio puts more significance on checking who's listening to what,
and messages based on music or voice.