I started this program in December of 09 so as you can imagine, I’m excited to see it finely hit shelves. It began as an ask from marketing to repackage an old keyset in a form factor that was compact and sleek. It was my first program as lead designer so the presser was on. The challenge was the keyset… it was bulky, overstated, and anything but “compact and sleek”. The key caps sagged down abnormally towards the middle of the keyboard and the dish on the individual keys were anything but subtle. The outdated, high travel keys, caused the overall stack up to be thick and bulky.

We started by condensing the keyset as much as possible to reduce the overall footprint. The gaps between the quordy, 4 way nav, and numpad were eliminated, reducing the length by over 10mm. We brought the media keys down over the numpad and aligned them with the f-row. This shortened the width but displaced the PCB.

The keyboard was getting much smaller from the top view, but the stack up was still extremely thick. To play down the thickness we increased the overall footprint and tapered off the edges. Most of the taper happened on the bottom case so that we could keep the top case smooth and sheet like. By extending the front edge downward, we created a palm and bridged the gap to the work surface. We utilized the space within the palm-rest for the two triple As and an elongated version of the PCB.

By compromising the tangible dimensions of the footprint for perceived slimness, we were able to conceal a bulky keyset into a form factor that was compact and sleek.

CHAINGANG uses a repetitive linking technique to repurpose heaps of scrap leather into versatile accessories. CHAINGANG is available in various shades of tan, brown, and metallic. Our commitment to utilizing otherwise discarded materials results in slight variations in color and texture

Our goal for this project was to create a webcam that would not only sit at the top of our line but would be, unarguably, the best consumer webcam on the market. In order for the camera to feel like a piece of professional equipment, the materials must be honest and deliberate. Up to this point at Msft I had only designed mid-range to low-end products so it was great to feel less constrained by cost of materials. We had a nice budget for CMF and a few great options for video and audio components.

The stack up of the components and their constraints informed much of the overall form and design details. For the lens cone, we worked closely with our optical engineer to determine the length, angle, and number of steps needed to achieve optimal stray light protection. To improve the stray light protection even further, we elongated the hood and cut notches on either side so as not to block wide aspect ratio of the camera.

The length of the main body was driven by the requirements zoom lens. Because the lens moves dynamically, we specked a glass lens cover to block any potential interference without decreasing video quality. The long rectangular shape of the lens cover references the widescreen aspect ratio of the camera.

We included a few features that will probably go unnoticed by most users but give the product additional functionality. We routed the cord through the neck of the camera, making it possible for the camera to capture content in a full 180 degree range. The back, where the user would interface with the camera, is bead-blasted for softness and anodized black. Simply routing the cord down the neck makes possible new usage scenarios, such as showing off your surroundings or recording a class lecture.

We’ve also added a threaded insert on the base of the foot. This allows the user to mount the camera onto any tripod, gaining added stability or a new vantage point. A mini tripod on your desk allows you to use your webcam to share a sketch or quickly scan a document. Turn the lens downward toward your page and the focus will adjust automatically so that the image captured is super clear. I love that I can be on a video call and have the ability to illustrate a concept in real time by simply angling the camera at my page and sketching a quick visual.

One more uber nerdy design element is that we’ve designed the extruded metal housing to serve as a giant heat sink for the internal components. Super cool!!!

This was a quick, fun project with Msft Hardware... check out the video for a little behind the scenes!

Faraday is a tempered glass, induction heated tea service that merges the task of preparing tea with the social experience of consuming it. The use of induction technology allows the boiling of water to take place at the table, without a stovetop or a steel kettle. Both the serving tray and the objects upon it remain cool to the touch as the water comes to a boil within the glass vessel.

Faraday is on exhibit at the Heller Gallery in New York, May 7-18.With special thanks to the American Design Club.

Each piece of the spring/summer 2010 Laser Nature collection tells a story through imagery inspired by Native American culture, folklore, and myth. This is a limited edition collection of 100 hand crafted sets in walnut, pearl, abalone, and re-purposed leather.

The VX-800 is a small, entry level webcam with an approachable personality and a price tag that can't be beat! The initial ask for this product came from marketing in the form of a handful of potential, off-the-shelf, "pic" products. Pic products are offered by manufacturers to businesses with the lure of eliminating design time and reducing COGS (cost of goods sold) as well as the cost of tooling. Unfortunately the majority of these products are designed quickly and blindly, without regard for a company's design aesthetic so that they can be shopped around to several businesses.  

As expected, the "Pic" products that were available to us fell far outside of our established design language.  We felt strongly within the ID team that all hardware design must stay in house to insure a consistent design language and a steady ranking of products from the low end to high. ID proposed to marketing that the camera be designed in-house with the promise of record low COGS.

We had only a week to design the product.  The ID group worked to design a camera that would sit firmly at the end of our line, taking design cues from it's siblings without cannibalizing their sales.  The final design leverages the base from the Msft Lifecam VX-2000 and uses only two additional parts to construct the main housing.  The low part count and tooling cost made this camera even cheaper to produce then the "Pic" options originally proposed.

Laser Cut Birch Jewelry

From the beginning, my vision for this project was to release a cohesive, wearable collection. I would stay late after work in the basement machine shop, experimenting with wood types, number of ply's, and laser settings, until the last bus would come by at midnight. When I showed the initial pieces to a stylist friend of mine, she asked to place them in an upcoming shoot.

I worked tirelessly to make the deadline for the photo shoot and created some of my favorite pieces. (Great thanks to photographer Kyle Johnson and stylist, Osiris Navaro.) That following week I worked on assembling the lookbook and sending out PDFs and printed materials to boutiques across the country. Even after all the work I had put in, I felt some surprise when orders started coming in for my designs.

I was able to outsource the laser cutting to a great local machine shop and with the help of a a handful of friends, was able to assemble, tag and inventory the pieces and fill the orders in a timely manner. It's amazing the amount of labor your friends will offer up for free when there is beer and Thai food involved (but really, thanks again to all of you who helped make this project come to life).

More After the Jump...

I came on board with Microsoft Hardware just as the evaluation units for this new mouse were coming back from the manufacturer. I jumped in and did some deep trend research for the coming year and emerged with a nice pallet that ended up gaining a lot of attention and selling really well. A great way to start out at a new company!

One of the greatest resources for the designers at Msft is our model shop. One of our model makers specializes in color matching. It's quite a science but more than that, you've really got to have an eye for nuances within color. It was a cool experience working with him and I picked up a whole new vocabulary for talking about color.

Semi-public Workstations

The internet has allowed for business to be conducted outside the normal office environment. Cafes are now crammed morning-to-night with mobile workers and their laptops. Lack of work space, outlets, and safe storage are some of the many problems in this makeshift work area. However, this informal setting continues to be more and more desirable. Co-Work re-proportions this informal work space by creating an easily modulated and tesselating table complete with features that streamline the work environment. Co-Work is highly adaptable to the user’s demands while working in conjunction with the cafe’s own concerns and market.

Sound & Vision continuously customizes to the user and their environment. Sound & Vision senses color, tone, light, and activity, and projects upon the wearer’s skin patterns of light and color that reflect the data gathered.

The necklace, earrings, and brooch are made from liquid crystal glass and backlit by light emitting diodes. Light and color from the LEDs projects through the LCG, displaying patterns onto the skin of the user. Hyper-sonic sound technology projects music and tones from the earrings solely to the user.

Project advised by Yves Behar & Noah Murphy-Reinhertz and sponsored by Gucci.