challenge

Generate a physical artifact from expressive user input.

solution

An augmented tea ceremony that brings a partner who is at a distance into one's regular routine.

project stats

duration: 2 weeks
role: this was an individual project so I had the opportunity to conceptualize, design, and build everything myself
technologies: Arduino, Temperature Sensor, Stepper Motors, LED, Lever Switch, Solenoid, Bell
GitHub Repo: take me there!

It can be hard to stay engaged in a phone call when there are a thousand things bumping around you mind. However, in a long-distance relationship, phone conversations makeup a large portion of the time you spend with your partner. In this design, your interactions with your long-distance partner accumulate over time while you receive implicit feedback about your engagement through the quality of the tea's preparation.

The device carries out a tea ceremony with you, ringing a bell at different checkpoints as the water cools in temperature. It selects various flavors of tea, changing the proportion of your partner's favorite tea to yours based on engagement in the relationship. Your partner exists in your space, in your daily life, through the reflective preparation of tea.

Sound is a large component of this project, so check out this video for the full effect!