This project is about exploring possible solutions that could aid focus retention when learning something new or acquiring a new skill.
Focus Lamp
Work in progess
Year
2024
The process
Background
For this project, I had to explore the experience of learning a new skill. The main goal was to find the different aspects that influence focus retention. Over a three-week period, I threw myself into making clay pottery at home. I did this a couple of days a week, and each session ended with me taking meticulous notes of my experience and what influenced my focus. Here are some of the overall findings from this experience:
Planning out when and for how long to make clay pottery helped me find the best suitable time as well as the scope of what I sat out to do
Having my phone on me was a big distraction.
Keeping track of time was difficult and, at times, distracting as I had to look at my phone.
Setting an alarm helped, but it did not allow me to see the time remaining without looking at my phone.
Sketching idea
My idea was to have something that would allow me to focus on a task while still being able to keep track of time without having to rely on my phone. It would also allow me to put my phone away and get less distracted.
Inspired by a small battery-powered lamp that turns off after a set amount of time, I sketched out the idea of a small desk lamp that could help me keep track of time by gradually dimming the light and turning it off after the chosen amount of time. The lamp would work by having a built-in clock/timer that could be set by the user by turning to change the amount of time and pressing to activate the timer.
Building a prototype
To get a more tangible sense of how the lamp could work, I developed a prototype using the battery-powered lamp that inspired my idea. The prototype was developed using laser-cut cardboard in layers inspired by 3D printing. This allowed me to quickly prototype the concept without relying on the more time-consuming 3D printing process.
I glued all the layers together with hot glue and used electrical and masking tape for the different parts of the lamp. I also matched the inner diameter of the base to the battery-powered lamp so it could be encased inside the base.
Testing the prototype
I persisted in testing the prototype myself to see how the controls would feel when setting and activating the timer, as well as the overall shape and size of the lamp.
Click on the image to see a short video of the prototype.
Click on the image to see a video
Making a 3D CAD model
I decide to make a 3D model of the lamp to get a better representation of my idea and also because a could not help myself :)
The next step is to develop a more functional prototype that could be tested and reiterated based on user testing and feedback