A special gift to give someone with homesickness. The device slowly reveals your handwritten messages to your loved one while they are travelling and helps them feel closer to home. Inspired by my mother who used to hide small notes in my father’s luggage when he travelled and the concept of a fortune cookie in order to make someone happy, such as the aspect of a hidden message or small surprise gift.
Expoded Render of mechanism and case
I used an adapted ratchet strap mechanism to create a way for the paper to be pulled out and rolled onto another roll.
I used an adapted ratchet strap mechanism to create a way for the paper to be pulled out and rolled onto another roll.
Renders of possible color combinations
Process and prototypes
I started by researching homesickness and discovered that nostalgia was the medical name for homesickness. Over time the definition of nostalgia changed to a bitter-sweet feeling when reminiscing the past and has a more positive association. I wanted to use this concept and shift the feeling of homesickness to a better feeling for the user.
In my further research, I looked at existing products which are made to remind you of your loved ones such as the locket necklace or just simply why people write handwritten letters to one another. I discovered that handwritten notes and letters feel much more personal and intimate than texting so this was an important part of my idea that it should stay analogue.
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Here are some of my quick sketches while I was brainstorming the concept and design.
In my further research, I looked at existing products which are made to remind you of your loved ones such as the locket necklace or just simply why people write handwritten letters to one another. I discovered that handwritten notes and letters feel much more personal and intimate than texting so this was an important part of my idea that it should stay analogue.
. Here are some of my quick sketches while I was brainstorming the concept and design.
Mechanisms
Since I wanted it to stay analogue I had to find a mechanism which would be small enough to fit in a small space and which would pull the paper out every time the device would be opened. I looked at paper towel dispensers, tape dispensers, receipt printers and even wind-up toys. Initially the most simple was a mechanism that had a hook that caught onto the paper every time it was opened, but this would require the user to press a button and rip off the paper. This would make it more tedious and difficult to use.
Since I wanted it to stay analogue I had to find a mechanism which would be small enough to fit in a small space and which would pull the paper out every time the device would be opened. I looked at paper towel dispensers, tape dispensers, receipt printers and even wind-up toys. Initially the most simple was a mechanism that had a hook that caught onto the paper every time it was opened, but this would require the user to press a button and rip off the paper. This would make it more tedious and difficult to use.
Then I found the crank shaft mechanism and realized it had the ability to pull a strip tight used this as a starting point to adapt it to pull the strip of paper from a wound-up roll and then to wind back onto another roll.
Prototype
The mechanism as well as the case for the prototype were 3D printed and the mechanism works well. The scale for this one is 1:0.5 so if produced the size would be half of the prototype’s size. Due to the durability limitations of 3D printed plastic I wasn’t able to make it in a smaller size. The ideal materials if produced would be stainless steel for the mechanism and aluminium or recycled plastic for the case.
