"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." - Arthur C. Clarke
I am very interested in understanding how thoughtful design and intelligent automation can make everyday activities smarter, simpler, and more elegant. Over the last few years, I have built a smart home system that helps me daily in small, useful ways. By constructing this system, I learned a lot about the opportunities and obstacles associated with making technology accessible to myself and others.
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Delightfully & Unobtrusively Integrated
A smart home feels magical when intelligence is embedded into everyday objects, rather than encased within obtrusive gadgets. My smart home system monitors local weather and my to-do list. If rain is expected, the light at my front door turns blue as a reminder to bring an umbrella. If my to-do list contains unfinished items at 4:00pm, my desk light turns red as a reminder to stay focused. Intelligently Proactive Automation My system runs on a tiny, affordable $35 computer known as a Raspberry Pi. Through various sensors and conditional triggers, my system turns lights on or off based on presence in a room. If my apartment's temperature violates thresholds when I head home, my system detects my phone's GPS movements and activates the heating or air-conditioning so my home is comfortable when I arrive. Behind My Interest One of my favorite books is Don Norman's The Design of Everyday Things. The book empowered me to understand precisely why I found certain objects or experiences delightful or frustrating. By internalizing basic principles of user-centered design, I learned how to serve my teammates and clients with deliverables that are not only insightful, but also delightfully easy-to-follow. |