OJASVI.DESIGN
Dhvani
A Dumroo-Inspired Smart Speaker & Home Assistant
As speakers increasingly become part of our work, leisure, and everyday environments, there is a growing need for devices that feel intuitive, expressive, and more human. Most smart speakers still behave like rigid tech objects, even though they live on our desks, bedside tables, and in our bags. This shift opens up space for a speaker that aligns better with lifestyle needs, one that blends ergonomics, emotional cues, and subtle presence into its interaction.
Dhvani explores this opportunity through a compact, gesture-responsive form that communicates using motion, light, and sound instead of traditional controls. Its balanced, dumroo-inspired silhouette fits naturally in the hand while supporting clear acoustics and portability. Designed as a personal companion rather than just another device, Dhvani brings warmth and intuition to the everyday moments where technology often feels cold.
Student Project
Individual Work
Duration: 4 weeks
2025
Contributions:
Form Exploration & Product Semantics
Interaction Design (Touch + Motion)
CAD Modeling (SolidWorks)
CMF Development
Rendering + Animation
01
PROCESS
Consumer Insights
-
People increasingly want intuitive, low-effort interactions. Not devices that rely on multiple buttons, menus, or waiting for startup sounds to confirm basic actions.
-
Smart speakers have become part of hybrid living, used at desks, in bedrooms, and on the move creating a need for products that are both portable and desk-friendly.
-
Users are bored with generic, boxy speaker forms and now prefer objects that blend naturally into home environments and reflect their personal aesthetic.
-
Technology is expected to feel more human and expressive, using cues like motion, light, and subtle presence instead of harsh beeps or cluttered UI elements.
-
Speakers are turning into everyday companions, so people want designs that feel emotionally warm, ergonomic to hold, and visually soft.
Market Landscape
Speakers from the current market show a focus on ruggedness, loud branding, and button-heavy controls, with limited exploration of expressive or intuitive interaction.
Opportunity
How might we reimagine what a personal speaker can be?
unique
aesthetic value
hybrid
portable+desk
intuitive
interaction
A non-generic silhouette that stands out from typical tech products and elevates visual appeal in any space
A compact form that's easy to carry, stable on a desk, and adapts seamlessly to both mobile and stationary use
Integrate gesture-based controls, subtle motion, and ambient light to replace button-heavy interfaces
The teardown reveals how existing smart speakers prioritize compact PCB stacking, basic acoustic chambers, and rigid button-based interfaces. Studying these components helps identify opportunities for more expressive interaction, modular internal layout, and an improved user-centric design approach.
Understanding the Product Architecture
Eureka
A damroo is a small two-headed drum whose hourglass body creates a natural rhythm when shaken, its sound shaped by the tension between its two chambers.
How it clicked for me?
While exploring meaningful forms, the damroo’s balanced silhouette, rhythmic motion, and split acoustic chambers immediately connected to what I wanted in a speaker, a shape that feels intuitive to hold, expressive in movement, and naturally built for sound.
Idea!
Bringing Interaction Into the Form
The idea explores a speaker where the top surface gently moves, the light ring responds, and a simple touch or shake gesture can play or pause the device.
The damroo-like geometry creates a top chamber ideal for clarity (tweeters, microphones) and a lower chamber for bass (woofer, passive radiator), improving sound direction and reducing interference.
Moodboard
-
classic
-
pop
COLOR
MATERIAL
-
fabric
-
fusion
-
ABS
FORM
.jpeg)
-
symmetric
-
hourglass
-
elengant
-
ergonomic
-
handy
-
interactive
What It Should Feel Like?
INTERACTION
TEXTURE
.jpeg)
-
smooth
-
matte
-
grip
Target Audience & Environment
Designed for young urban users who move between work, home, and on-the-go spaces seeking a warm, intuitive speaker that fits effortlessly into modern personal environments.
Ideation
Explored form, proportion, grip, features and interaction possibilities through quick sketches and rough models, refining the dumroo-inspired silhouette before moving into 3D variations.
3D visulisation
130mm
65mm
80mm
Shaping the Idea in Three Dimensions
After finalising the form direction, I translated my sketches into 3D to test proportions, ergonomics, and interaction placements. I explored multiple material finishes, top interfaces, and details to see what complemented the dumroo silhouette best. Through iterative modelling and rendering, I arrived at a configuration that balanced usability, aesthetics, and technical feasibility.
Branding
“Dhvani” derived from the Sanskrit word for sound, grounding the product in identity, rhythm, and expression
+ balance
+ motion
+ clarity
+ balance
+ motion
+ clarity
02
FINAL DESIGN
Sound that moves with you
Dhvani - Final Concept
The final design is a gesture-responsive 360° bluetooth smart speaker shaped around a balanced dumroo-inspired form, crafted for intuitive interaction through motion, touch, and ambient light. It brings together dual acoustic chambers, a rising top surface, and a portable ergonomic profile to support both on-the-desk and on-the-go use. Designed as a lifestyle companion, it blends expressive behavior with clear, functional sound.
Swipe Volume Control
Intuitive capacitive swipe ring enables smooth, tactile volume adjustment without buttons
USB-C Port
Universal USB-C port supports fast charging and seamless wired connectivity
Smart Battery Warning
No more irritating ‘battery low’ beeps! It gives one subtle alert, followed by a clear red LED ring
Dynamic Light Feedback
LED ring adjusts brightness and color intensity based on volume level and ambient mood
Minimal Power Button
Single soft-touch power button with integrated LED indicator eliminates the need for repeated presses
Shake Gesture Control
Integrated accelerometer allows intuitive shake-to-play/pause interaction
Voice-Responsive Motion
The top surface gently rises when the assistant begins listening, using a tiny linear actuator and motion-guided rails that give the speaker a soft, living presence. A touch-surface PCB and onboard microcontroller coordinate the motion, LED glow, and audio input, creating an intuitive, human-like interaction.
Material
• Body: Woven acoustic fabric
• Touch Surface: Matte PC/ABS (fingerprint-resistant)
• Bottom Base: Rubberized TPU
• Waist Band: Flexible TPU strap (portable & comfortable to grip)
• Light Ring: Translucent polycarbonate (even light diffusion)
Color
• Soft Neutral Grey, Stone Grey, Dark charcoal, natural wood accent
• Dark Graphite (touch surface)
• Subtle Accents (light ring glow / small branding tag)
Finish & Touch
• Warm matte textures for a home-friendly look
• Soft-touch surfaces at interaction zones for better ergonomics
• Satin highlights for a premium refined aesthetic
Packaging & First Interaction
Dhvani arrives in a carefully considered unboxing experience, where the form, materials, and layout reflect the product’s purpose.
The hourglass silhouette is cradled in a molded eco-pulp tray, ensuring protection while presenting the speaker confidently at first glance. The cable and manual sit in dedicated compartments, keeping the experience neat, calm, and intuitive. The packaging is designed to feel honest, minimal, and premium—setting the tone before the first sound is ever played.
WHAT'S NEXT?
I’m currently refining the technical details and exploring how this concept can evolve further.
More updates, iterations, and experiments coming soon.
.jpg)
Staplr.
technically complex product
