Creating a Prototype
When designing the physical computing components, we wanted to demonstrate that we could create working system using existing technology. With our physical prototype, we wanted design it as a product that our computing components could be housed within. We set out for it to be weather-proof, have the affordances of a telephone, and minimize any unnecessary pieces.
I began by taking apart the receiver of the rotary phone I had previously disassembled in the hopes that it might be possible to use the casing of the phone as a ceramic or plaster mold. However the interior isn’t smooth enough to allow for this. I decided that a combination using InstaMorph would be a more successful way to capture the shape of the phone.
Next, I used mapped and diagrammed the existing dimensions of the rotary dial to understand how it might fit with the receiver. I found that the existing dial is actually angled — this is tied to the pulse transmission mechanism. After sketching ways to accommodate this, I realized that rather than design an angle into our prototype, we can simply allow the mechanism beneath it to be angled. Therefore I began working on designs that could create a cleaner aesthetic while still preserving the reference to the rotary.
Then I began drawing out the numeric values for each component and then digitized this in an Illustrator file.
I then imported this into the lazer printer a cut a series of units and components to test.
After creating all of the lazer cut components I began to create the handle from InstaMorph. I heated it and molded it, using the same hand-building techniques used in ceramics to create handles.
This was my initial prototype that I shared with the group. After receiving their feedback and accessing the logo made by Helen I finalized all of the components and created this version below.
