Spherock-On
Project Scope: Product Design, Industrial Design
The product design challenge of the elective course “Graphic and Product Design” at Anna University was to design a furniture unit/lighting unit safe for human use based on any concept from Physics and to manufacture a working prototype of the same in real scale.
Outcome
A rocking chair christened “Spherock-On” oscillating beyond regular rocking limits, up to a safe angle of 90 degree was designed based on the concept of “Oscillatory Motion”. A safe working prototype designed majorly out of cane was manufactured in a cane furniture workshop with inputs from their engineer.
Services & Credit
Team: Sai Sudharshan Raja, Megha T K, Karthick Raja B G
Research & Planning
Various concepts of physics were looked up and explored keeping in mind the intention of translating the virtue behind the concept both visually and functionally.
The desirable outcome was to make the user wholly experience the effects of the said concept on their physical being and hence, it was decided to opt for designing a furniture unit. The concepts which fit the pieces of the puzzle pertaining to a lighting unit were discarded.
The concepts of friction, pressure and oscillatory motion were shortlisted, owing to versatile presence throughout various furniture.
The experience of the user seated on the rocking chair had to be a playful one and hence, the thought of the same was integrated into the process. Additionally, the abstract concept had to be translated visually into the framework of the furniture unit as well to attain the same. As a result, oscillatory motion was decided to be the best fit since the connection to a rocking chair was established already. Its path of motion served as a tangible solution to be translated into a visual form to serve the intended function.
Process
The experience of the user seated on the rocking chair had to be a playful one and hence, the thought of the same was integrated into the process. Additionally, the abstract concept had to be translated visually into the framework of the furniture unit as well to attain the same. As a result, oscillatory motion was decided to be the best fit since the connection to a rocking chair was established already. Its path of motion served as a tangible solution to be translated into a visual form to serve the intended function.
Exploration and research of various 3D shapes was carried out to find a solution for achieving such a framework.
After thorough research, a form called “Sphericon” which is the result of a 3D shape travelling in a designated path along the framework of a sphere was considered for the framework. Various research papers cited the oscillatory nature of the shape under the action of its own gravity, which resulted in the making of miniature physical model to test its rocking abilities.
Upon confirmation of its ability to rock as desired, a digital model of the same was created as per anthropometric standards. Measurements matching human scale were assigned, and this framework was developed to serve as the “legs” of a floating chair. Both structures were connected using bent and straight rods.
The completion of the digital design transitioned to the phase of manufacturing the prototype. Cane was chosen as the primary material after thorough research, owing to its malleability under the influence of heat, enabling it to be customized to the required shape. Bolts and nuts were used to connect joints, and coir rope helped in tightening the binding.