@ ModCell.io
ModCell.io is an interactive living art product that uses the behavior of virtual neurons to create emergent patterns of light and sound. ModCell can be controlled with a paired Bluetooth mobile app. The primary goal of this product is to create a new medium for dynamic experiences.
ModCell was created to solve a counter-intuitive problem: Art is boring. How often do you look at a painting on your wall? After the first few weeks every decoration fades into the background of it's environment. Once a decoration becomes familiar it loses value and becomes just something to fill space. It stops being what art is meant to be: an object that captivates and focuses attention. ModCell was created as a way to solve this problem, and produce a product that constantly generates new experiences.
To bring ModCell to life, I partnered with an electrical engineer. Together, we brought the product through the full design and development cycle – from ideation, design, testing and development. While my co-founder designed the initial hardware of the device, I developed the proprietary neuro-cellular simulation used to run the display.
This simulation works by creating thousands of virtual neurons and using the emergent properties of their interactions to create interesting patterns and effects. At first, simulating thousands of neurons on a microprocessor seemed hopeless - the framerate was painfully slow. After extensive optimization, I was able to reach our target performance benchmark of 60 frames per second. This speed provides a smooth and enjoyable visualization effect.
After getting a usable proof of concept, I conducted "guerilla user testing" by showing the prototype to friends and people at local businesses to get initial impressions and feedback.
In testing we found that users were generally very intrigued by the visual effects. However, they usually asked if it could produce other colors and effects. The prototype unit had no way for users to directly change the settings, so this became an objective for us to address in the next version.
I also observed there was variation among users about where they would likely place the device. Some users expressed that they would want to have the device on their desk or bookshelf, while others envisioned hanging it on the wall. For the second iteration of the device, we redesigned the form factor to accommodate both use cases.
After these initial tests, we began a second round of product design and development to incorporate user feedback. We adjusted the physical form factor of the device to include a button that offered basic interactions, such as skipping between settings, changing the brightness, pausing the simulation and activating/de-activating Bluetooth pairing mode. This button is recessed to be out of sight when the device is viewed from the front.
I also sketched out an inverted pyramid design that allows the device to recline on a desk, or hang flat against a wall. My co-founder then implemented these sketches as 3-d design files. Follow up user testing indicated that this new physical form factor was comfortable and easy for users to understand. Adding the button interaction gave users a greater sense of control over the device and drove greater engagement with it.
To give users even more control over the device, I designed and built a Bluetooth mobile app using React native. This app allows full customizability of all settings in the simulation. Users can browse saved art pieces, as well as create and save their own. I also incorporated some bonus features, such as a touch to stimulate interface an an audio output feature that converts the neural activity into audio effects. The experience of using the app is tightly coupled with the behavior response of the device, so I conducted usability tests of the live app and refined the design in an agile process.
For security reasons, I couldn't have the Bluetooth server on the device boot up by default. Instead, users enable the Bluetooth server when they want to connect by pressing the button on the device four times. This puts the device into pairing mode allow it to be detected by the mobile app. Pairing mode can be deactivated by pressing the button four times and holding it down.
Initial user tests of this interaction revealed that a lack of feedback on the device confused users about whether they had successfully activated pairing mode. To address this, I incorporated a blue flash when pairing mode is activated to provide visual feedback to users. When pairing mode is disabled the device fades from blue to black. This visual feedback greatly improved user comprehension of the pairing mode interaction.
The touch to stimulate feature was particularly well received by users. In response to user requests for more interactivity, I added this feature to give them a deeper level of interaction with the device. In testing users often lingered on this experience, drawing shapes and adjusting the settings to see how the neurons responded to their input.
After brainstorming, my co-founder and I decided to brand the device as “ModCell” - short for modular cellular automata. Although logo design is not my specialty, I took a shot at designing a logo for ModCell. I created an M shape from the intersection of two Fibonacci spirals. This logo is meant to convey the dual nature of the product - both organic and mathematical. The shape of the M is also meant to reflect the waves of activity that move through the device’s neurons. The use of a green gradient for the primary brand color brings the glow of the device's display into the brand language.
Marketing for ModCell began in August, 2020. So far the response has been very positive, with a growing mailing list of individuals interested in pre-ordering ModCell. We are currently refining the manufacturing process to enable production to scale beyond the prototype units. We are also dialing in the build quality to provide a more premium hands on experience. Additionally, I am polishing up the mobile app experience with another round of user feedback. We are lining up our distribution partners, and are in the early stages of planning a crowd funding campaign. Stay tuned for more updates!