Designer ········· Jennifer Fang, Kendall Schubert
Medium ········· Plywood, Acrylic, Motor
Created ······ November 2023
Medium ········· Plywood, Acrylic, Motor
Created ······ November 2023
Headphones of Hell
A project from Fall 2023 DESINV 22 Prototyping at Fabrications at UC Berkeley: Sound machine powered by a battery pack with an on/off switch Product Video
Challenges:
Deciding on the sound produced—our original idea utilized a guitar pick strumming strings suspended in an acrylic box, but the prototype was too small, imprecise, and inconsistent to produce pleasant sounds.
Soldering the motors—the case and mount holding the gear motor was compact and laid flat, causing the wires to pull free and have to be reattached several times.
Tolerance—negative tolerance was needed on the boxes to hold their weight when suspended but also allow a user to take the lid off in case the motor needed to be resoldered.
Future Iteration:
With future iterations, we hope to be able to produce a sound that has high adjustability and slightly lower the speed at which the motor spins. Access to a wider variety of gear motors would allow us to find a quieter motor to isolate the sound of the strings.
Full Project Writeup
A project from Fall 2023 DESINV 22 Prototyping at Fabrications at UC Berkeley: Sound machine powered by a battery pack with an on/off switch Product Video
Challenges:
Deciding on the sound produced—our original idea utilized a guitar pick strumming strings suspended in an acrylic box, but the prototype was too small, imprecise, and inconsistent to produce pleasant sounds.
Soldering the motors—the case and mount holding the gear motor was compact and laid flat, causing the wires to pull free and have to be reattached several times.
Tolerance—negative tolerance was needed on the boxes to hold their weight when suspended but also allow a user to take the lid off in case the motor needed to be resoldered.
Future Iteration:
With future iterations, we hope to be able to produce a sound that has high adjustability and slightly lower the speed at which the motor spins. Access to a wider variety of gear motors would allow us to find a quieter motor to isolate the sound of the strings.
Full Project Writeup
“Headphones of Hell” symbolizes detachment from the mundane, highlighting the disconnect, chaos, and detachment from life.
At first glance, the "Headphones of Hell" resemble a standard pair of headphones made out of wood. Equipped with a simple on/off switch on a battery pack, it reveals its playful nature by generating a unconventional sound.
Inside the headphones, there are eight trimmed guitar strings suspended to a cam within a plywood box. A clear, acrylic-covered cutout allows users to see inside. When activated, these strings create a cacophonous and unpleasant soundscape as they scrape against the plywood. The unique design and sound are intended to symbolize detachment from life, perhaps highlighting the disconnection or chaos one might feel when wearing these headphones—a commentary on the overwhelming or disorienting aspects of modern life or technology.
