Serenitea informs social tea-drinking interaction through subtle, motion tracked table-top projections.
Project Length: 4 weeks (Spring 2024)
Team
Joan Lee, Juhi Kedia,
Dina El-Zanfaly (Professor)
Role
Brand Research, Interaction Design, Physical Prototyping,
Physical Fabrication
Tools
Adobe Illustrator, Adobe After Effects, p5.js, 3D Printing, Laser Cutting
The Story
Our branded tabletop experience "Serenitea", subtly informs guests of social behaviors based on the position and movement of their teacups.
This table top responds in real time based on various inputs from tea cups on the table.
Primary Interaction
Customer interviews revealed a lack of interest in discovering new types of tea despite a selection of over 100+ types.
With a diverse selection of tea, an introductory interaction celebrates the origins of each. Guests feel more encouraged to try different teas to gain more mini cultural narratives.
Passive Interaction
Our team observed social behaviors around the movement of tea cups, such as how guests place cups when they are actively socializing versus a lull in the conversation.
Audio Input
As conversation flows around the table, a slight color change occurs to indicate the sides with more volume
Lifting and Placing Cups
While taking sips, ripples occur when cups are picked up and placed down onto the table.
Stationary Cups
When your cup rests on the table, it will "sink" over time, with the pattern moving out and away from the cup.
Proximity
You might sit closer to a friend, or trade drinks. A blossom appears when cups are close.
Visual System
The mosaic waterlily motif represents the brand essence of the tea shop, and complements its geometric interior design.
User Journey
Based off of customer interviews, mapping interactions, their modality, and emotional journey over a typical guest experience.
Tech Diagram
The tech system implements a camera, computer, and projector to track tea cup location, send location input, and manipulate the animation
Process Snapshot
A main struggle we had was creating a surface that was transparent enough to detect the cups, but opaque enough to see the projection clearly.
We also iterated several versions to create burst animations that were both concise and informative.
Reflection
I enjoyed the process of designing a branded interactive experience, with focus on maintaining visual consistency and interviewing customers to define interactions to reflect.
