The second example of Calm Technology products to be examined is the toaster from the Wake Up Happy concept by YouMeUs Design for Kenwood. YouMeUs Design is a London-based design agency with a holistic design approach focused on creating unique customer experiences.1 In their case study Wake Up Happy for Kenwood, they created a range of household appliances that focus on positive interactions while preparing your breakfast to create an optimistic outlook for the day. One of these appliances is the bright yellow rocking toaster.2
Wake up happy – Toaster
Calm interaction evaluation // Toaster
Calm Highlight
It may not be the most practical feature, if you take a very conservative view. But it is the one thing that really stands out about this toaster is The tilt. Firstly, it creates a lively interaction with a product that gestures towards the user, rather than just a conventional pull-down trigger. This can create an uplifting interaction that leads to a better relationship between the user and the object, which in turn can prolong the life or replacement cycle of the appliance. Finally, the communication pattern it uses is a change in posture. This is a very calm interaction that can be seen in the peripheral view and is therefore perfect for the task of preparing food, which often involves performing several tasks at once.
Resources
