Kinetic Tiles
UI/UX, Design Research, Product Design, Branding
Duration
2 Months | Spring 2022
Overview
Kinetic Tiles use piezoelectricity to generate your steps into electricity. The interface would include a rewards system so that users can feel rewarded for their contribution. The app would use your phone’s pedometer function and location services to verify when the user is stepping on these tiles.
Approach
Our team used Human-centered Design Thinking and Digital Experiential Design to explore a hybrid environment of a physical and digital space.
Team Members
Grace Rai, Amanda Hartman, Sam Smith,
Max Dussling
Roles
Grace Rai:
Design Research, Branding, Wireframing, Prototyping, UI/UX Design, Mockups
Amanda Hartman:
Logo Design
Sam Smith:
Survey
Max Dussling:
Mockups
Problem Overview
Almost all parts of the electricity system affect the environment, the impact that this can have depend on where and how electricity is delivered and generated.
Some of these environmental effects include:
"Emissions of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants, especially when a fuel is burned."
"Discharges of pollution into water bodies, including thermal pollution (water that is hotter than the original temperature of the water body)."
"Generation of solid waste, which may include hazardous waste."
"Land use for fuel production, power generation, and transmission and distribution lines."
"Effects on plants, animals, and ecosystems that result from the air, water, waste, and land impacts above."
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United States Environmental Protection Agency
Kinetic Tiles
Kinetic tiles are floor tiles that use piezoelectricity to capture energy when people walk on them. They assist in converting kinetic energy into electricity from the mechanical stress.
The electricity generated can then power everything from streetlights to interactive adverts. This can help reduce the emission of carbon gases in the environment with the help of piezoelectricity.
How It Works
Piezoelectricity
This is the ability of certain materials to generate an electric charge in response to applied mechanical stress.
Pavegen
Pavegen is the company that brought Kinetic Tiles to reality and created a way to maximise its electricity generation.
Objective
Creating a system where Kinetic Tiles can be used in public spaces with high foot traffic to generate electricity but also provide the users with something in return.
Collaborating with Stonewall Warehouse
While Kinetic Tiles would be used in various places, I decided to focus on the interactions between one of the areas that these Kinetic Tiles would be placed, Stonewall Warehouse.
Stonewall Warehouse is San Marcos’ first LGBTQ+ nightclub. The kinetic tiles would be placed in the areas with most foot traffic like the dance floor. The tiles would light up once stepped on and the excess electricity can be used to help power the nightclub.
Each step on these Kinetic Tiles generate around 5W of power.
Empathize
Survey
We created a survey to gather intel about what specifically grabs people’s interest in nightclubs and how often one would visit them. We sent this survey throughout our various social media platforms. We gathered 93 responses.
User Personas
Gabby Navarro, College Student, 21
“I heard about this nightclub from my friends and I’m excited to try it out. I hope the atmosphere is fun...”
Gabby became interested in Stonewall Warehouse after seeing her
friends post about it on Social Media, she then decided to look more into it, leading her to look at the club's photos for the atmosphere.
After implementing touchpoints (seen in define and ideate section)
She sees some interesting flooring with triangle shapes that seem to light up with various colors. She also sees Stonewall’s page advertise their Kinetic Tiles rewards system.
As a college student, the concept of being able to get free rewards just for dancing intrigues her.
Empathy Maps
Gabby Navarro, College Student, 21
Gabby thinks: "I hope this nightclub is fun.", "I can’t wait to hang out with my friends tonight.", "I wonder if there are any good deals today."
Gabby feels: Excited - she can’t wait to have fun tonight. Curious - she has no idea what the atmosphere is like. Hopeful - she hopes the nightclub is something both fun and new for her.
Gabby says: "Let’s see if Cassie wants to join too.", "I wonder if there’ll be any good drinks.", "I hope they play my favorite song."
Gabby has to: Look up the nightclub for more information, Look up directions to see how far it is, and text her friends to meet up.
Define
Research Takeaways
Based off the responses from the survey, the most common way people hear about nightclubs are from friends or word of mouth and second was through social media.
57% of people also responded that lighting was very important to them. This was also the main response when asked about what grabs their attention when they enter nightclubs.
We gathered that we should create advertisements or signage so users could understand the opportunities Kinetic Tiles offers. We also decided to implement some interesting lighting that users can interact with and create a system that users can gain something from. It had to be something that would be interesting enough so users would feel inclined to share on social media.
How Might We...?
Let users know about Kinetic Tiles?
Make users inclined to step on the tiles?
Create an interesting atmosphere for users?
Maximize the amount of foot traffic for the Kinetic Tiles.
Make users want to explore more locations with Kinetic Tiles
We Can...
Have the locations advertise the Kinetic Tiles app or show the tiles on the floor leading to curiosity from users.
Implement a rewards system that gives something in return for users.
Display the Kinetic Tiles in a fun way depending on the location.
Place them in high foot traffic areas like dancefloors or walkways.
Display other locations along with their potential rewards.
Ideate
Touchpoints
A mobile app that rewards users for generating electricity by stepping on the kinetic tiles.
Flow Charts
Prototype
Start up
Users would sign in or create an account upon loading the app.
Home Screen
The home screen would include location rewards, charity donation opportunities, and other locations with Kinetic Tiles.
Charity Opportunities
I had originally planned this concept to be in the app but decided it didn't make too much sense being able to donate electricity, since only 5W of power can be generated it only made sense for it to be used for the establishment where the tiles were.
Other Locations
Users could see other locations where Kinetics are also being used, along with potential rewards for those locations.
Key Mobile App: Paper Prototypes
Final Outcome
Environment Mockups
Dance floor + TV Screens
The kinetic tiles are placed as the dance floor. On the bar’s TV screen is an advertisement for the mobile app and a step goal screen would be placed adjacent to the dance floor.
Mockup by: Max Dussling
Step Goal Screen
A closer view of the screen with incentives and potential rewards for accumulating steps. This would be in field of view from the dance floor.
Design and Mockup by: Max Dussling
Mobile App
Below are videos of what the user flow could look like (you can click to pause). A figma file will also be embedded which you can click through.
Rewards
From here, users can select which reward they want to redeem. They can then show the generated QR code to a staff member to claim.
Start Up Screens
This is where users will log in or sign up to access the mobile app.
Other Locations
Since these Kinetic Tiles would be implemented in various places, users can browse these other locations along with potential rewards for those areas.
Mobile App Figma File
Reflection
After sending out the survey to various sources, we were exceptionally happy with the amount of responses that we recieved. From there, it felt like we were truly working on something that could have an impact on people. I think the hardest part for us at the time was deciding how to make users more engaged in our product or even how they could find out about it. Our solution was creating mockups of what the envrionment could look like or even advertisements showcasing the app. This project definitely enhanced my photoshop skills along with putting myself within the mind of the user.
Also, this project was initially created in Spring 2022, however the branding and UI was heavily revised in Spring 2023. Due to the time constraint in Spring 2023, I was only able to create a minimal amount of screens. With more time, I would have wanted to flesh out this concept more along with adding a "steps into power" statistic screen so that users could see their impact and feel even more rewarded.