What is the purpose of your device/toy, how does it function, and who is your user?
The device we choose to create is a Carousel Candle. The object on top, with paper-cut figures around, will spin once the candle at the bottom is lit. Thus creating a visual effect of figures spinning, like a carousel. This device transforms thermal energy (the candle) into kinetic energy (spinning figures). Our targetted user are people aged 12 years old and above since our device include fire (the candle). Also, individuals in ISB community are another targetted audience of our device. By combining Chinese cultural and ISB community components together, we would like to show a Carousel candle that represents multi-cultural.
A Carousel Candle could be decorated in your bedroom, company, or anywhere you would like to decorate. Moreover, people usually think of warmth, sweetness, and relaxation when talking about candles. In fact, the smell of a candle can help people regulate emotions, and the soft light of a candle can make people feel relaxed, reducing their stress.
What is the environmental impact of your product, and is it durable and safe?
Since we decided to use paper and wood (maybe) to create our lamp, our product is recyclable. Also, the candles we use in our product can last for years and are durable. Our product is safe, except people misuse it. We will design strong support to support the lamp so that it is not easy to fall, which prevents the fire from spreading.
What precedents inspired you? What did you take away from them & how did it inform your choices?
The first precedent that inspired us was the trotting horse lamp, a traditional Chinese toy commonly seen at Lantern Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and other festivals. We choose to refer to the outer structure of the lamp to cover our pattern inside instead of directly revealing it, which makes a better appearance since we do not want to show the mechanism part of the lamp.
Another precedent that inspired us was angel chimes, a Christmas decoration spread from China to Europe but representing their own cultural symbol (angel). The fact that it used four candles instead of one interests us. Therefore inspired us to use multiple candles to increase the convection current speed and make the figures spin faster.
How are you making your product original and/or using creativity?
We decided to use the same structure of including candles and figures in one product; however, we will use dragon figures instead of the traditional Chinese figures on the trotting horse lamp to create a unique lamp that expresses ISB spirit. Furthermore, we are combining part of the structure of the trotting horse lamp and angle chimes to design the one and only special lamp.