Unstable
FINAL BACHELOR PROJECT
This project explores how physical instability in a table can be used as a design quality to provoke social interaction. Building on the development of Shape-Changing Interfaces (SCI) and a Research through Design (RtD) methodology, I created a table capable of shifting between stable and unstable states. An experiment was conducted in which participants interacted with the table during a creative clay task, first stable, then unstable, followed by interviews and a co-creation session. Thematic analysis revealed key themes including social awareness, playfulness and annoyance. The final design, programmed to subtly tilt in response to human touch, demonstrates how instability can act as a social mediator, turning an expected limitation into an opportunity for connection. This work contributes to the growing field of actuated furniture and raises new questions about stimulating social cohesion through everyday objects.
Figure 1: This video shows the experiment set up and the results
Figure 2: Video shows the final designed interaction
Goals
Before choosing a squad or design brief for my Final Bachelor Project, I first reflected on what I felt was still missing in my education. I thought about the skills I wanted to develop, the challenges I hadn’t yet taken on, and how I could push myself in a meaningful way, to become a better all round developed designer. I knew exactly what I wanted to focus on.
With a strong emphasis on technology and realisation, this project offered the perfect opportunity to dive into areas that had previously felt unfamiliar or just out of reach. From mechanical and electrical engineering to prototyping, programming, and photography, I set out to explore new ground and strengthen my confidence as a hands-on designer.
1. Developing my skills in electrical and mechanical engineering
2. Strengthening my prototyping and making-forward design process
3. Developing my programming skills
4. Improving my camera work and Adobe Lightroom skills
Download full description of my goals
Goal 1: Developing my skills in electrical and mechanical engineering
This project was a deep dive into a world that initially felt very foreign to me, especially the field of mechanical engineering. Before starting, my hands-on experience was limited to assembling an IKEA drawer at most. I had never even used a power drill. But that changed rapidly.
Mechanical Engineering
At the start of this project, mechanical engineering felt like completely new territory. My experience was limited, I hadn’t even used a power drill. That changed quickly. I began by building K’NEX models to explore basic motion, then moved on to calculating forces, torque, and leverage to inform real design choices. I designed and built a functional gear train and selected components like bearings and joints with increasing confidence. I remember carrying three types of ball joints in my backpack, suddenly seeing the mechanics behind everyday furniture. This shift in awareness made me feel capable of building not just prototypes, but real, functional objects.
Electrical Engineering
The electrical part came later and felt like a sprint. I refreshed my Arduino basics and quickly moved into new territory: working with three microcontrollers, I²C communication, and custom-made touch sensors using the ESP32 and copper tape. Beyond the technical skills, the biggest gain was confidence. At the start of my FBP, I was hesitant to try things I didn’t fully understand, something that didn’t use to hold me back. But now, I’ve truly regained that old mindset that anything is possible. As Pippi Longstocking said: “I have never done it before, so I think I can definitely do it.”
Goal 2: Strengthening my prototyping and making-forward design process
One of the most valuable things I’ve learned in this project is the power of making as a way of thinking. When I started, the idea of prototyping felt intimidating. I didn’t have much experience with it, and I assumed I needed to know everything about materials before I could even begin. But the making-forward design process, as I also described in my research methodology, helped me overcome that hesitation.
Figure 4: forms iteration in the second making iteration
Figure 5: Top one: prototype that made me decide on instability as a design feature. Bottom one: The value of designing shape change with K'NEX
My first making iteration, focused on shape-changing materials, ended in frustration. I felt like I was getting nowhere and was just messing around. Still, that so-called messing around gave me the stepping stones I needed for the next iteration (figure 4,5). It showed me that even when something doesn’t feel successful, it can still move you forward.
Over time, I let go of the need for every prototype to be polished or perfect. I embraced quantity, tried things quickly, and followed my curiosity. That shift gave me space to reflect while making and helped me gain valuable insights. I began to understand which materials work best for different goals, and discovered, for example, how useful K’NEX (figure 5) can be when prototyping shape-changing designs.
I learned how to work across different levels of fidelity, how to test and adapt as I go, and how to trust the process even when the outcome is unclear. Making by hand gave me direct feedback and allowed ideas to evolve naturally. This experience has shaped me as a designer, and it’s an approach I’ll definitely carry into future projects.
Goal 3: Advancing my programming skills
This project gave me the opportunity to revisit and build upon my programming skills, especially in the context of physical computing and embedded systems. I focused primarily on programming the ESP32, which acted as the master controller in the system (figure 6). It handled capacitive touch input from four sensors (figure 7) and sent commands to two separate microcontrollers through I²C communication.
FIgure 6: Final design with visible mechanics
FIgure 7: Copper tape that works as a touch sensor
I wrote custom logic to process touch combinations, manage cooldowns, and trigger different behaviors such as repositioning and animated “wiggle” movements (figure 2). At the start of the project, it felt like I had forgotten everything. But I slowly realized I hadn’t lost the knowledge itself, I had just lost touch with the tools and strategies that helped me access it. I didn’t know where to start, so it all felt more overwhelming than it really was.
Goal 4: Improving my camera work and Adobe Lightroom skills
Throughout the project, I photographed every prototype I made using my iPhone, then edited the images in Adobe Lightroom. This gave me the chance to explore tools like RAW photo editing, lumetri scopes, and overall image enhancement. I now know how to get high-quality, editable results using just my phone, which is super useful going forward. I applied this not only to photos but also to video.
Figure 7: Non edited picture
Figure 8: edited picture
Figure 9: edited video material
Figure 10: unedited video material
During my experiment, I accidentally filmed all sessions in HDR. At first, I thought this would be a problem, since HDR is harder to edit than SDR. But after some research, I figured out how to work around it and improve the lighting in the videos, especially since the later sessions turned out quite dark (figure 9,10).
To wrap it up, I collaborated with Madeleine Scholtes for the final product photos. She introduced me to shutter speed adjustments and how they can create playful motion blur, which was exactly the effect I was going for. She also walked me through more advanced features in Lightroom, which made me even more excited to keep developing these skills in future projects.