Design Team:
Jonah Becker, Claude Zellweger, Scott Croyle (Owners and Principals of One & Co)
Cory Worth, Donn Koh (One & Co Design Team)
Young Kim, Monique Chatterjee, Dave Zucker (Microsoft Industrial Design & Engineering Team)
Jonah Becker, Claude Zellweger, Scott Croyle (Owners and Principals of One & Co)
Cory Worth, Donn Koh (One & Co Design Team)
Young Kim, Monique Chatterjee, Dave Zucker (Microsoft Industrial Design & Engineering Team)
Flatten
After the huge sucess of the first generation folding Arc Mouse (by One & Co.), Microsoft wanted to take the next leap - ‘How do we design an ergonomically generous and comfortable mouse to flatten completely for travel and storage?’
After the huge sucess of the first generation folding Arc Mouse (by One & Co.), Microsoft wanted to take the next leap - ‘How do we design an ergonomically generous and comfortable mouse to flatten completely for travel and storage?’
The Problem: How to Get from Flat to Volume
Microsoft came to One & Co for explorations of different ways and mechanisms to get a mouse to transform from flat to an ergonomic shape. The key challenges were firstly, for the flat state to be as thin as possible and secondly, to find a way to have the ergonomic state stay rigid and not flatten out during use.
Microsoft came to One & Co for explorations of different ways and mechanisms to get a mouse to transform from flat to an ergonomic shape. The key challenges were firstly, for the flat state to be as thin as possible and secondly, to find a way to have the ergonomic state stay rigid and not flatten out during use.
The Ideal Solution: Go from Flexible to Rigid
The optimal, simplest user experience would be a solution that would bend and magically stay in a rigid arc shape. It should feel effortless - without any hook systems or extra steps.
The optimal, simplest user experience would be a solution that would bend and magically stay in a rigid arc shape. It should feel effortless - without any hook systems or extra steps.
Quick & Dirty Solutions Exploration with One & Co Team
As a team, we explored a variety of mechanical-principles and material properties-based solutions that could be used to tackle the flat-to-arc transition. Some ideas were demonstrated as quick mechanical models that the client Microsoft team could interact with.
As a team, we explored a variety of mechanical-principles and material properties-based solutions that could be used to tackle the flat-to-arc transition. Some ideas were demonstrated as quick mechanical models that the client Microsoft team could interact with.
Sketch Exploration with One & Co Team
Some ideas were illustrated as sketches, capturing some initial aesthetic directions as well. At this point, most of the ideas either still required too many steps for the transformation, or did not provide enough rigidity in the ‘arc’ state.
Some ideas were illustrated as sketches, capturing some initial aesthetic directions as well. At this point, most of the ideas either still required too many steps for the transformation, or did not provide enough rigidity in the ‘arc’ state.
The Inspiration: Bimetallic Strips & Differential Expansion
I remembered the phenomenon of bending bimetallic strips that was taught in middle school science classes and imagined that the same principle of differential expansion could possibly be the solution to the mechanism that would cause the mouse to go from flat state to an ‘arc’ state.
Translating the Bimetallic Principle into a Mechanical Prototype
Inspired by the possibility afforded by the example of the bimetallic strip, I tried to envision how the same principle could be used to create the flat-to-arc transformation. The illustrations below explain how the mechanical principle was conceptualized and developed.
I remembered the phenomenon of bending bimetallic strips that was taught in middle school science classes and imagined that the same principle of differential expansion could possibly be the solution to the mechanism that would cause the mouse to go from flat state to an ‘arc’ state.
Translating the Bimetallic Principle into a Mechanical Prototype
Inspired by the possibility afforded by the example of the bimetallic strip, I tried to envision how the same principle could be used to create the flat-to-arc transformation. The illustrations below explain how the mechanical principle was conceptualized and developed.
Proposing the Solution
The ‘bimetallic-strip-inspired’ mechanical concept was presented to the Microsoft ID team. To ensure that the concept’s potential could be more thoroughly evaluated, quick rough sketches were used to communicate the
excitingly sleek proportions that could be afforded by this new mechanism.
The real clincher was when the client got to interact with the mechanism model made quickly from ABS sheets, it generated a lot of excitement about its possibilities. It seemed that the Microsoft team felt they had on hand the very solution to create the magical arc transformation they sought to find through One & Co.
The ‘bimetallic-strip-inspired’ mechanical concept was presented to the Microsoft ID team. To ensure that the concept’s potential could be more thoroughly evaluated, quick rough sketches were used to communicate the
excitingly sleek proportions that could be afforded by this new mechanism.
The real clincher was when the client got to interact with the mechanism model made quickly from ABS sheets, it generated a lot of excitement about its possibilities. It seemed that the Microsoft team felt they had on hand the very solution to create the magical arc transformation they sought to find through One & Co.
Production Engineering Development by Microsoft
My role was completed after contributing the final mechanical concept which led to the bending and automatic locking mechanism. It provided Microsoft with the mechanism inspiration for their engineering team to resolve and develop for production.
The images above (created by Microsoft) show the eventual production version still based on the bimetallic-inspired mechanism. Microsoft’s engineering team made numerous improvements including replacing the snap-lock with a magnetic lock. Credits to them for pulling off such an amazingly complex task.
My role was completed after contributing the final mechanical concept which led to the bending and automatic locking mechanism. It provided Microsoft with the mechanism inspiration for their engineering team to resolve and develop for production.
The images above (created by Microsoft) show the eventual production version still based on the bimetallic-inspired mechanism. Microsoft’s engineering team made numerous improvements including replacing the snap-lock with a magnetic lock. Credits to them for pulling off such an amazingly complex task.
Final Product Development and Aesthetics by Microsoft
The Microsoft industrial design team, led by Young Kim and Monique Chatterjee, brought the mechanical concept through to production, and were responsible for the final product aesthetics and production resolution.
The Microsoft industrial design team, led by Young Kim and Monique Chatterjee, brought the mechanical concept through to production, and were responsible for the final product aesthetics and production resolution.
Design Team:
Jonah Becker, Claude Zellweger, Scott Croyle (Owners of One & Co)
Cory Worth, Donn Koh (One & Co Design Team)
Young Kim, Monique Chatterjee, Dave Zucker (Microsoft Industrial Design & Engineering Team)
Jonah Becker, Claude Zellweger, Scott Croyle (Owners of One & Co)
Cory Worth, Donn Koh (One & Co Design Team)
Young Kim, Monique Chatterjee, Dave Zucker (Microsoft Industrial Design & Engineering Team)