This week we decided to divide our tasks into two main areas to ensure that we are progressing with the tech and design/interaction parts of the prototype.
Paper Prototyping & User Testing
Each of us built a paper prototype after deciding on the main features, in order to start with user testing and gain feedback. In this way, Â we can make the changes needed for the best prototype experience or to validate specific features/functions.
After the first user testing round, we had a handful of insights and met via  Zoom, in order to analyze the feedback and start working on our second and improved paper prototype.
Our insights:
1. The prototype is too wide to hold with one hand. Conclusion: Decrease the diameter from 10 cm to 9 cm.
2. The prototype is too long, it doesn't blend into the bedroom and nightstand well. Conclusion: Decrease the height from 17 cm to 15 cm (small but significant difference). This makes the lamp appear a bit more delicate.
3. When the lamp is in a standing position, pressing the button is not optimal, since the lamp may move backward or fall. Conclusion: (a) Add artificial weight to the lamp. (b) Change the button's location. (c) A touch button.
4. The flat side of the lamp doesn't indicate well enough that it is possible to lay it down on the flat side if desired. Conclusion: (a) Two silicon strips to suggest the option, and at the same time prevent the lamp from sliding/ falling from the dresser. (b) Another esthetic way of marking.
5. The angle at which the light flashes on the wall is not high enough when the lamp is in a laying position - this may require an uncomfortable viewing angle of the user in order to see the breathing lights. Conclusion: A leg that opens and closes, located on the straight side allowing the elevation of the angle.
6. Button functionality - The button should allow three functions: power on, start sampling, and power off - joining three functions into one-button may lead to confusion and lack of clarity. Conclusion: (a) Turning on and off with a light tap on the top part of the lamp (from which the light comes out) + a touch button responsible for sampling only. (b) A flat dial that allows you to switch between the three modes.
After these great insights, we started building our second paper prototype. This one was 15 cm high and a diameter of 9 cm. We added a leg so that the user could adjust the light on the wall and added a dial instead of the button to see how users react to it.
Our insights:
1. Users did not like the dial. They did not find it easy to use and thought it's a bit outdated. From their feedback, we understood that the right solution is a touch button/surface as intuitively, users tend to connect to the touch. The two options that we need to explore in the following week are: (a) One-touch surface, when one tap turns Sleepy on, double-tap starts the sync mode and a triple tap turns Sleepy off. The second option is to make the upper part (where the light comes out from) touch surface that turns the regular light on and off and separates the touch button to start sampling the breathing.
Technical Progression Review Points
During the work with the sensor, we've been struggling to find the exact position that responds best to the breathing movements - up and down and set the light on its highest reflection. Probably an ideal location will be beneath the user, in a soft cover that will not compromise comfort. What made this even harder, was to find such a position that will also set the light at a high reflection while being pushed down (when lying on the sensor), and then increase or decrease its performance while being pushed more lightly (breathing in) or pushed more firmly (breathing out). We actually want the light to have three states, and in all of them, we want the light to still be visible (not 100% off at any point). The light should be increased according to this following order: - Breathing in - releases the stress on the sensor a bit since we're elaborating from it, so we'll need a brighter light. - Lying down normally. - Breathing out (max pressure on the sensor, highest light).
We think that the ideal solution for the light would be a LED ring located at the top of the lamp and connected to Arduino
We've been facing some coding issues as well, including finding the best monitoring axis (one of the colorful lines) and isolating it from the rest of the axises, as well as increase the despondence of the monitor and have it displaying light movements in a more visible way (like zooming-in the movements on the monitor).
Third, we're also facing some Corona-period issues regarding restocking our hardware supply and managing to work with what we already have :)
Although the struggle, we were able to work with what we have now in order to provide the proof of concept (POC) which is very exciting. Steps to continue: - A smart calibration to optimize the synchronization between the lamp and the sensor. - Exploring the ideal sensor orientation for best results. - Development of an autonomous mode for a lamp, guiding the right breathing rate - "Leader". - Smart buttons for operating the lamp - touch