Push Hi-Fi Media Cradle

by Wallace Galloway

Project Description

The goal of Push was to re-imagine how people interact with their phones within a productivity setting. The media controller peels away all the extraneous and distracting elements that a phone often provides and reduces it to the technological level of a tape cassette, a black rectangle capable of providing music.

Once the phone is slid into the cradle, the user interacts with it only through the rocking and sliding movements allowed by the cradle (connected to the phone via Bluetooth). Inspired by vintage HiFi, these movements are designed to add an element of tactility and playfulness often lost in the flat touch screen of modern music experience. 

The user’s expectations of how they might interact with their phone are subverted; by placing the phone within a cradle; the user is more easily able to resist the desire to pick it up and interact with it.

Push’s chassis is built from laser cut acrylic, which allowed for easy fine tuning of the desired movements. The exterior shell is constructed from sheet aluminium and Tasmanian oak. Software is controlled by an ESP32 HID chip. Using the HID interface allows the phone to connect both to the cradle and to an independent set of speakers over Bluetooth.

Bio

Wally has a love for physical modelling and CAD. In his designs, he places an emphasis on human interaction and emotional connection, taking a structured and analytical approach to his work. He has experience in several professional workshops and loves to create designs that people value.

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