Polyrock
2021
University Group Project
Collaborators:
Daniel Fisher
Alex Jounquay
Mental healthcare in Australia has been found to be underperforming in maintaining a functioning level of healthcare provision. Using secondary research including findings from the recent Victorian Royal Commission, our team developed the concept of Polyrock as an early intervention that enables conversations about mental health within the community, shifting the way we see and experience community mental health.
Polyrock is a voice recording diary that turns subconscious behaviours like stress and body temperature into data that is used to create a unique piece of generated artwork for each entry.
This artwork is used in Mental Health focus groups as a prompt to encourage participants to share as much or as little as they are comfortable with.
How Polyrock works:
Inbuilt sensors collect data (speech content, cadence, squeeze pressure, heart rate and temperature)
Data is stored on a connected smartphone
Software deciphers and converts data into an abstract piece of generative art
Artwork is shared in group settings and conversations can begin
My Role:
I was in charge of the product: its form, ergonomics, aesthetics and components.
The final shape was chosen based on user testing irregular shapes of stones, until a suitable size, form and weight was found. Then the shape was refined to be more ergonomic and fit all hand sizes.
Rough and irregular textures were popular in our testing, as it was engaging to hold, and also disconnected the user from thinking of Polyrock as another electronic device.
We wanted to remove any distractions or hindrances from users to engage with Polyrock, so there is only one button, with no feedback or any other interactions. This keeps the actions pure and uninterrupted
In user testing, it was interesting watching users attempt to use the product in completely unexpected ways, ways we had not considered. This greatly changed the way Polyrock is used and its form entirely. User testing was imperative in creating such a unique product and could be easily used by all.
Physical Form Prototypes
After many iterations and refinements using 3D Printed models, this was the final design