1. Subject Project – Smoke Alarms
Mathew Griffin – St
Subject Project – Smoke Alarms
Weekly Tutorial – 08/11/2017

2. 3.) A ‘burning’ picture frame
1.) A ‘decaying’ alarm
2.) A ‘melting bird’
3.) A ‘burning’ picture frame
Take a step back and revisit my 3 wackier ideas and develop them further. That was my purpose this week.

3. Idea 1
Decaying alarm. ‘Decaying’ functionality needs to be combined with a sleek and contemporary aesthetic in order for it to stand out in a good way. Not bland and more visually engaging.

4. Kupu 10 – Harri Koskinen – Jalo Helsinki
Kupu 10 Smoke Alarm is sleek, composed and organic. The textile lining gives it a warm appearance.
Kupu 10 – Harri Koskinen – Jalo Helsinki

5. Sleek-looking wireless smoke alarms that come in more than 40 different looks. Radio-Linked. Adhesive gel pad for easy installation. Bottom of alarm serves as ‘test’ button.
Pyrexx – PX-1

6. "We want to make our products as accessible as nature
"We want to make our products as accessible as nature." combine safety with style and has developed a smart new smoke alarm/carbon monoxide detector that defends against emergencies without intruding on our daily lives.
‘Birdi’

7. LUM Smoke Detector – Arthur Brault (2010)
Major issues with modern smoke detectors are the low battery life, the process of changing its battery, and the complicated installation. User can check the battery and the alarm directly by switching the light on, because LUM uses the power of the lamp itself to recharge a battery inside. 
LUM Smoke Detector – Arthur Brault (2010)

8. Lento 10 – Paola Suhonen – Jalo Helsinki
Lento is figurative, playful and wild. Perfect for children’s room or as a spicy detail for home interior.
Lento 10 – Paola Suhonen – Jalo Helsinki

9. (pg. 16, Kotler and Rath, 1984 & Nussbaum, 1988 in Bloch, 1995)
Key Words
‘When given the choice between two products, equal in price and function, target consumers buy the one they consider to be more attractive.’
(pg. 16, Kotler and Rath, 1984 & Nussbaum, 1988 in Bloch, 1995)
Sleek
Curvy
Simplistic
Discreet
Colourful
Fashionable
Quirky
Utilitarian
Practical
Colourless
Plastic
Uninviting
Uninteresting
Unexciting
People want to buy nice looking things. Smoke alarm will become an attractive feature of a room. This combined with the dark message of a ‘decaying’ alarm will create something that is visually engaging.

10. Sketching
Decaying Smoke Alarm – Exploring form.

11. Thermochromic/Photochromic
Suitable for polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, ABS, and PVC which can be dosed in at between 3% to 10% according to products thickness and required colour intensity. These products are created by adding colour-changing plastic masterbatches to standard plastic materials during the injection moulding or extrusion process to alter the finished product, making it suitable for a variety of application. Still in developmental phase.
Two variants: Becomes a lighter colour as the temperature rises. Becomes a darker colour as the temperature cools.
Colour to colour, colour to translucent and translucent to colour are available, many variations can be blended
Activation temperatures range from zero to 65°C.
When placed in sunlight or near an ultra violet lamp it changes from clear to another colour.
When removed from the UV source it changes back to its original colour.

12. Idea 2
Explore ‘melting bird’ idea. Would be challenging to make it physically ‘melt’. Needed to tie this in with smoke alarms and there is a suitable historical connection.

13. Chickadee Smoke Alarm – Louise van der Veld (2007)
Stylish and quirky new smoke alarm in the shape of the cute American Black-capped Chickadee perched on its branch.
Chickadee Smoke Alarm – Louise van der Veld (2007)

14. The canary is particularly sensitive to toxic gases such as carbon monoxide. Mine rescuers would descend into the mine, carrying a canary in a small wooden or metal cage.
Any sign of distress from the canary was a clear signal the conditions underground were unsafe and miners should be evacuated from the pit and the mineshafts made safer.

15. Quirky idea. Historical ties add to it. It could chirp
Quirky idea. Historical ties add to it. It could chirp! Strikes a fine balance between serious and humour. Dark humour. Is it too humorous? Does it contradict serious message of fire safety? It would be memorable though. Could also include a cage. Further ties in with coal mines.

16. After a chat with Todd, decided the overall form of the canary
After a chat with Todd, decided the overall form of the canary. Abstract? Realistic? What would form the best emotional connection?

17. Idea 3
Burning photo frame idea. Need to explore the best way to make this have as much impact as possible. Was watching many different fire safety adverts to see how they evoke these reactions through disturbing imagery.

18. Scottish Office – Fire Safety Advert, 1995
Screenshot from fire safety advert. This imagery comes across as haunting, dark and disturbing. Evokes a reaction.
Scottish Office – Fire Safety Advert, 1995

19. 2 options. Rustic, worn-down wood to give it a burnt effect
2 options. Rustic, worn-down wood to give it a burnt effect. Uses a transparent screen, put in a photo of your choice. Other option is to use a 1mm thin LED screen. It flexes so different forms can be explored.

20. Where do I go from here?
Need to choose an idea and run with it. Look further into materials and manufacturing. FULLY flesh it out. Make models.

21. References
Bloch, P.H. (1995) Seeking the Ideal Form: Product Design and Consumer Response, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 59, No. 3, July, pp
Colourchange.com. (2017). Colourchange | Interactive Plastic. [online] Available at: [Accessed 6 Nov. 2017].
dutchbydesign.com. (2015). Chick A Dee Smoke Alarm. [online] Available at: [Accessed 3 Nov. 2017].
Flaherty, J. (2014). A Sleek Smoke Detector Inspired by Hurricane Sandy. [online] WIRED. Available at: [Accessed 3 Nov. 2017].
Jalo Helsinki. (2017). Smoke alarms - Original - Jalo Helsinki. [online] Available at: [Accessed 3 Nov. 2017].
news.bbc.co.uk. (2008). BBC ON THIS DAY | 30 | 1986: Coal mine canaries made redundant. [online] Available at: [Accessed 7 Nov. 2017].
pyrexx.com. (2017). PX-1. [online] Available at: [Accessed 3 Nov. 2017].
THINK SAFETY FIRST Pif (2015). Scottish Office Fire Safety Bed 1995 UK. [video] Available at: [Accessed 3 Nov. 2017].
tuvie.com. (2017). LUM Smoke Detector by Arthur Brault. [online] Available at: [Accessed 3 Nov. 2017].