Embedded Files
Solar Badge
Solar Badge
About: Solar Badge is a wearable technology concept developed for a class focused on photovoltaic art and design, an approach that treats solar panels not as hidden functional components but as visible, expressive elements of the object itself. The project explores how a solar-responsive device can embody that idea, staying functional while remaining honest about the technology it's built around.
About: Solar Badge is a wearable technology concept developed for a class focused on photovoltaic art and design, an approach that treats solar panels not as hidden functional components but as visible, expressive elements of the object itself. The project explores how a solar-responsive device can embody that idea, staying functional while remaining honest about the technology it's built around.
Problem: Most solar-powered wearables prioritize function alone, giving little indication of how they interact with their environment. The challenge was to design a badge that visibly signified adequate sunlight exposure, pairing with other self-sufficient solar devices, while remaining modular and expressive rather than purely utilitarian.
Problem: Most solar-powered wearables prioritize function alone, giving little indication of how they interact with their environment. The challenge was to design a badge that visibly signified adequate sunlight exposure, pairing with other self-sufficient solar devices, while remaining modular and expressive rather than purely utilitarian.
Role
Role
Solo designer for Solar Badge. Modeled the badge in Fusion 360, then hand-built the circuit from scratch, soldering and testing the electronics to bring the concept from digital design to a working physical prototype.
Solo designer for Solar Badge. Modeled the badge in Fusion 360, then hand-built the circuit from scratch, soldering and testing the electronics to bring the concept from digital design to a working physical prototype.
Concept: The design centers on a single fixed component, a 30mm x 60mm solar panel, with everything else built around it. The stylization leans raw and utilitarian: an open casing that doesn't hide its function, with mounting points to screw on different attachments like a clip or other modular devices. 3D printing supported this modularity while keeping the build sustainable and easy to iterate. The overall approach ties back to the core idea of photovoltaic art and design, treating the solar panel not just as a power source, but as a visible, expressive part of the object itself.
Concept: The design centers on a single fixed component, a 30mm x 60mm solar panel, with everything else built around it. The stylization leans raw and utilitarian: an open casing that doesn't hide its function, with mounting points to screw on different attachments like a clip or other modular devices. 3D printing supported this modularity while keeping the build sustainable and easy to iterate. The overall approach ties back to the core idea of photovoltaic art and design, treating the solar panel not just as a power source, but as a visible, expressive part of the object itself.
Prototype Design:
Prototype Design:
Outcome:
Outcome:
The result was a functional, 3D-printable modular frame that snapped around the solar panel, allowing for easy iteration and reassembly. When exposed to adequate sunlight, the badge could trigger simple responses, like vibrating a motor or lighting up, demonstrating the concept in action. More an experimental exploration of photovoltaic art and design than a finished product, the project served as a hands-on way to test how solar technology could be expressive, not just functional.
The result was a functional, 3D-printable modular frame that snapped around the solar panel, allowing for easy iteration and reassembly. When exposed to adequate sunlight, the badge could trigger simple responses, like vibrating a motor or lighting up, demonstrating the concept in action. More an experimental exploration of photovoltaic art and design than a finished product, the project served as a hands-on way to test how solar technology could be expressive, not just functional.
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