Paired Petals

Module: Atelier Flower (DJ31035)
Project Brief
Design a product or experience simply relating to the word ‘flower’. In companies, establish shared values yet also create a hybrid, combining your individual qualities. Together you will design, conceive, sketch, prototype and refine – a working physical digital object. Its interaction should be through Arduino or Raspberry Pi and could be quite simple but must be well-crafted.
My Role
Throughout this project I was heavily involved in most areas of the project's development. Specifically, I was responsible for the Arduino coding and wiring, and the integration of components into the physical object. Furthermore I was responsible for the materials and making of the tulip wood Petal frames and MDF floral overlay.
Paired Petals
Module: Atelier Flower
Oct 2024 - Dec 2024
Paired Petals is a 3rd year undergraduate project and exists to encourage communication between friends and family who struggle to keep in contact while geographically separated, reminding them to stay in touch as life goes on. Using Arduino technology, IFTTT and google services the petals communicate with google calendar and update visually and mechanically when a new event is made.

The petals themselves are light up frames made from tulip wood, with layered MDF creating the flower imagery across multiple designs, that attach onto a wall somewhere in the user’s home. Arduino and LEDs are secured inside the frame, underneath a sheet of opal acrylic defusing the coloured lights and creating the living flower effect by dimming and brightening according to your google calendar status.

Each user in the group would have their own petal frame, all connected to each other and connected to a shared google calendar. LEDs and comforting floral design help bring life to a room, however the two weeklong fading of this reminds the user to keep making plans like scheduling a call or a meeting with a friend to keep up good social habits, and to keep their flower bright.
john.bailey1603@gmail.com