Cloudy
A Dreamlike Guide to Seating
OVERVIEW
Cloudyyy is an interactive bar stool designed for high-density, low-light social spaces. Inspired by the nostalgia of sitting on clouds, it uses ambient light-logic to communicate availability.
Built with a sculpted polyester exterior and powered by Arduino, the stool features a custom conductive fiber pressure sensor. When a user sits down, the lighting shifts from a calm, "available" blue to a celebratory "occupied" rainbow sequence. It is a fusion of whimsical industrial design and responsive UX, turning a simple chair into a functional, dreamlike signal system.
MY ROLE
Product Designer
RESPONSIBILITIES
Arduino Coding, Model making, Prototyping
TIMELINE
October 2016
The Vision
Inspired by the whimsical imagery of childhood cartoons—where sitting on a cloud was the ultimate dream—Cloudy is a responsive bar stool designed to bridge the gap between fantasy and functional utility. It aims to solve a common pain point in low-light environments like clubs and pubs: the difficulty of locating available seating.
The Interaction
The Interaction: Utilizing a custom-engineered pressure sensor crafted from conductive fibers, the stool intelligently detects user presence. I programmed an Arduino-based system to control a hidden array of Neopixels beneath a sculpted polyester cloud.
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Ambient State: A soft, ethereal blue glow indicates seat availability.
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Active State: Upon seating, the pressure sensor triggers a vibrant "rainbow" animation, providing immediate haptic and visual feedback.
Technical Craft
The challenge lay in the spatial ergonomics of the sensor—ensuring high-sensitivity triggering regardless of the user’s posture. By blending translucent materials with integrated electronics, Cloudyyy transforms a static piece of furniture into an interactive guide, enhancing the social atmosphere through intuitive light-logic.
