Hear, only the good stuff by Magdalene Wai Wan Chen, School of Fashion, Product Design Studio

Magdalene Chan Fall 2016 | Fashion Product | Prof Robert Rabinovitz and Ana Cajiao Parsons the New School of Design | Fashion Design BFA

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WRITTEN, RESEARCHED EDITED AND DESIGNED

BY MAGDALENE CHAN FASHION PRODUCT SPEC + DESIGN STUDIO FALL 2016 EDITED BY ANA CAJIAO ROBERT RABINOVITZ PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 67 FOR FULL BIBLIOGRAPHY

I. WHAT IS A MORNING RITUAL? i. A FOREWORD ii. MY MORNING RITUAL

IV. CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION i. INDUSTRY AT LARGE ii. HISTORICAL DESIGN TIMELINE

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11 III. DESIGN THESIS i. DESIGN CRITERIA ii. HYPOTHESIS

II. WHAT IS A FASHION PRODUCT? i. THE HOW AND WHY ii. DOES MY PRODUCT IMPROVE MY MORNING RITUAL

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17 E RO DIT R B ED A AB ER B CA NA INO T Y JI VI A TZ O

W ED RIT

BY IT TE M ED N , A A RE G N S D D E A D A LE E RC N SIG H E E CH NE D, A D N

V. USER ANALYSIS i. TARGET MARKET ii. USER STORIES iii. PRIMARY RESEARCH iv. SECONDARY RESEARCH

IX. FINAL CONCEPT i. HEAR EARBUDS ii. 3D MODELING iv. EXPLODED VIEW ii. HEAR APP

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VIII. MAIN CONCEPTS i. APERTURE DIAL ii. FASHION HEADPHONES iii. DETACHABLE SPEAKERS iv. ADJUST REAL LIFE AUDIO

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VII. IDEATION ROUGH SKETCHES

XI. CONTEXTUAL APPLICATION i. USES IN SOCIAL CONTEXT ii. CHALLENGES & RISKS

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VI. EXISTING SOLUTIONS

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i. BUTTONS BY WILL.I.AM ii. SONY FUTURE LAB iii. AMAZON iv. ANALYSIS

X. PRODUCT STORY i. PRODUCTION PROCESS ii. DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS BILL OF MATERIALS ii. PRICING STRATEGY

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PROLOGUE PT I

WHAT IS A MORNING RITUAL? When broached with the topic of our first project, I found myself stumped by the parameters of the assignment. The way I woke up and how I started my day was something I had not given much thought to - I am not a morning person and most of my morning is usually spent in a groggy stupor after all.

But the more I thought about the importance of our mornings and how they impact the rest of our day, or even the rest of our week and general outlook in life, I realised that it is a tradition that needs to be carefully reexamined. From here, I asked myself a few key questions: 1) What is a morning ritual?

2) How does my morning ritual affect me as an individual?

2) What would I change about my morning ritual?

5) How can I change my morning ritual?

Once I had established these pertinent questions, I felt that they would help me determine what direction my project would go in, and what fashion product I would eventually decide upon and the direction I will eventually decide to develop.

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MY MORNING RITUAL Like many other New Yorkers, a significant part of my morning ritual is my commute.

I have the joy of living right by the essence of New York - my apartment next to Times Square guarantees a terribly eventful commute every morning. Panhandlers, buskers, overzealous tour guides handing out brochures and other irritable subway commuters are just a small part of the chaos I have to avoid while making my way to class. To escape it all, I slap on my Bose QC35 Headphones and brisk walk through my morning route as quickly as I can.

I love the noise-canceling headphones, but I may become oblivious to oncoming traffic or dangers.

With headphones, I am simply blocking out my environment. Why not improve upon that interaction instead?

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DESIGN THESIS Instead of just creating my own escape and blocking out my environment, I want to create a fashion product that enables users to personalize and ultimately improve how they interact with their audio environments in a fashionable, enjoyable and safe way.

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PROLOGUE II

WHAT IS A FASHION PRODUCT? I believe an item embodies the qualities of a Fashion Product when it has undergone change to address the frequent evolution of consumer tastes. Where tastes are fickle and users are constantly in search of being more fashionable, we designers have to constantly reconceptualize and restyle the product to meet this new and emerging demand.

I chose headphones as they embody the concept of a fashion product with great duality.

Since their conception in the 1890’s for telephone operators, they have undergone decades of change, ultimately even transcending their function as a gadget. In the second sense of “Fashion”, they also function as fashion accessories. My own headphones have played a healthy part in deciding my outfits for the day. They’ve even become status symbols – when Dolce & Gabbana enlisted Rihanna as an ambassador for their $9,000 gold filigree crown head- phones, it sparked mass hysteria amongst fans and casual viewers alike who raced to purchase the pair. Within 24 hours, they had sold out worldwide. Today, the premium headphone market is defined by fashionability and brand as much as it is by sound quality.

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IV.

CONTEXTUAL

INFORMATION

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TECHNOLOGY is more mobile than ever Portability has increased exponentially since the introduction of the walkman in the 1990’s.

45% of NYC citizens listen to music while multitasking, ie. working or commuting WIRELESS technologies are continuing to enter and dominate the market and sales continue to increase

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I D I FA ND PH NFOR ST US O MATI FA TR NE ON CT Y S

34% of US citizens listen to 10 or more hours of music each week

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SOUND QUALITY, NOISE CANCELLING the greatest priorities

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“What is your biggest priority when choosing headphones?”

Of the 55 people we asked*, 46% answered with Noise Cancellat 34% answered with Sound Quality

According to the NPD Group’s Consumer Trac while sound quality remains the top priority w headphones, this number has declined from likely a result of the influx of younger con buying premium headphones who va factors such as design and brand just as much as audio fidelity.

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THE BEST $OUND MONEY CAN BUY U.S. sales of premium headphones ($100+) grew 25% Q1 2013, accounting for 95% of revenue growth for the total headphone market*, according toThe NPD Group’s Retail Tracking Service.

Of this demographic, 1/3 were found to be under the age of 25.

AUDIO TREAMING as changed the way we listen

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73% of music listeners use streaming services

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Online streaming services allow greater ability as users can now listen to music everywhere, anywhere Music, Audiobook, Podcast Apps are moving towards streaming as opposed to permanent downloads only H E A R the good stuff 13

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CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION

HISTORICAL DESIGN TIMELINE

First K210’s developed by AKG Audio

Single earpiece headphones developed for telephone operator usage.

It rested on the user’s shoulder and weighed over 10 pounds!

Due to the Electrophone system, US citizens are able to tune in to different networks using a stethoscope device.

Nathan Baldwin develops first modern headphones for the US Navy. Does not patent them.

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Headphones become as much about style as sound quality: Dolce & Gabbana’s $9k crystal-embedded headphones sell out within 24hrs after Rihanna posts a selfie with them online

Sony’s release of the Walkman makes headphones portable for the first time!

Koss releases first US made electrostatic headphones.

Mainstream headphones are reduced in size and weight, from 10lbs to about 2lbs.

While the concept of earphones were introduced in the 80’s, it was Apple’s introduction of the iPod earphones that revolutionised the headphones scene with its minimal design and white color

Luxury headphones account for 83% of revenue growth for the total headphone market

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V.

USER

ANALYSIS

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USER ANALYSIS

LISTENER PROFILES

UTILITY

CASUAL

Listens occasionally or usually has a specific reason to do so.

Listens to music 2-3 times a week. Enjoys music but does not make deliberate time for it.

Doesn’t always carry headphones.

Would spend up to $50 on earphones, or use earphones that come free with device.

Doesn’t always focus on music when playing. Looks for something to fit their lifestyle and the activities they do, like exercise Would spend about $50 - $100 on a set of headphones. Slightly brand conscious.

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AVID

PROFESSIONAL

Music Enthusiast. Goes to concerts frequently, emotionally connected to what they listen to.

Musician, DJ, Works in a studio, etc.

Constantly researches new bands and songs to listen to. Might be a subscriber to one or a few music sharing platforms.

Enjoys listening to music whenever they can.

Has to wear headphones for their career.

Would say that music is their life. Listens to music constantly and would say that music is their livelihood. $250+. Sound quality and comfort are the utmost priority.

Would spend about $100 - 350 on a set of headphones. Extremely discerning.

Conducts substantial research in pursuit of a good pair of headphones.

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target consumer

THE AVID LISTENER

Listens to music whenever and wherever they can / Likely to own more than one type of headphones, depending on the activity they are currently engaged in. / Enjoys and prefers great sound quality, premium audio products./ Values performance as well as aesthetic. / Frustrated if they forget their headphones.

Early adopter of new audio technology. / Enjoys alone time and a lack of interruptions

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USER ANALYSIS

PRIMARY RESEARCH “What is your biggest priority when choosing headphones?”

Female: 55% Male: 45%

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Age <15 16 - 24 25 - 30 35 - 44 45 +

Percentage 2% 67% 25% 2% 4%

For Primary Research, I ran a survey amongst 55 of my peers. This was done in the form of a written online poll which I had posted on surveymonkey.com and shared amongst my classmates and personal friends. While a tiny sampling, it could be deduced that the most important factors when purchasing headphones amongst my peers pointed to Sound Quality and Noise Canceling functions.

This aligns with NDP’s Retail and Product Tracking Services, as highlighted on Page 11.

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USER ANALYSIS

PRODUCT POSITIONING AVID LISTENER UTILITY

EAR BUDS

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ACTIVE

LOWER

SMALLER

MORE

LISTENER TYPE

INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL

HEADPHONE TYPE PRICE

$$$$$

ACTIVITY LEVEL

STATIC

SOUND QUALITY SIZE PORTABILITY

OVER EARS

BETTER

BIGGER

LESS

Product positioning for the Avid Listenerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wants and needs based on activity level. Each aspect affects the other.

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COMFORT

Most are dissatisfied with fit and feel of the headphones, which often mess up their hair SOLUTION: Design a new form which fits the user differently/are uninhibited

INTERFACE Headphones never seem to work independently and users have to rely on another device for information Solution: Allow them to interact

with the device more

seamlessly

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NOISE CANCELLING Most headphones on the market do not offer a toggle option for noise cancelling. To offer noise-cancelling, the headphones have to be turned off altogether.

SOLUTION: Create headphones with a toggle option for noise cancelling

ADAPTATIONS Design of headphones have remained static over the decades Solution: Do the headphones necessarily have to be worn around the head?

Create different style adaptations

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EXISTING SOLUTIONS VI.

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“If you care about glasses and you buy glasses to go with your wallet and your wallet to go with your watch, your headphones should do the same.”

- Will . I . Am

• Bluetooth headphones backed by magnetic metallic discs that when not in use, connect via the magnets to form a necklace.

• Buttons are being produced in four colors that match the iPhone 7 and went on sale Nov 2 2016 in Apple stores • The Buttons work with Android products • Priced at a luxury level: $229.95 • Percentage of sales going to the i.am.angel Foundation, which focuses on teaching inner-city youth about technology and core subjects.

• Battery life of 6-8 hours

MAG: Whilst I think this is a great step up in disrupting the form and design of headphones, the price will be a great deterrent for many price-sensitive target consumers One major edge he has is that he has incredible starpower backing the project - Kendall Jenner and Naomi Campbell are partners as well as ambassadors of the brand.

In addition, his earphones are also available at Apple, which guarantees widespread accessibility. I appreciate that although the price of the product is incredibly high, it also partially goes towards a good cause - although I wish there were more transparency in the actual figures.

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AMAZON • JULY 19 2016: Amazon awarded patent for a noise-canceling headphone that automatically clicks off when it “hears” certain sound patterns, frequencies and even keywords like a name.

• Feature allows wearer to instantly tune back into their surroundings, and hopefully get out of the way of oncoming traffic.

• A diagram in the patent application filed shows an array of microphones built into the ear pads • Patent only protects the technology behind the invention and doesn’t guarantee the headphones will actually be available to purchase anytime soon.

MAG: I enjoy the concept but I understand why it would need to undergo extensive testing - How would it be able to differentiate between different accents, pitches?

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SONY CONCEPT N • Developed by Sony’s newly formed R&D outfit, Future Lab • Bluetooth headphones worn around the neck that direct audio upwards so only you can hear it.

• Multi-directional speakers • Idea: Create system for listening while retaining background noise • Accompanying ear pieces that communicate with neckband if user prefers more traditional headphone-like experience • Buds have holes punched through middle which intercept ambient noise • Equipped with voice control, camera • Responds to vocal commands with the name “Arc” • Worn like necklace • Still being prototyped MAG: It’s less obtrusive than Google’s wearable, but still not quite fashion-forward enough not to turn heads - however I feel that sound quality might be an issue. only H E A R the good stuff

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VII.

IDEATION

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CONCEPTUALIZATION

OPEN IDEATION

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VIII.

MAIN

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CONCEPT I: APERTURE DIAL

â&#x20AC;˘ Manually twist the aperture dial open or close to regulate how much noise you want to hear from your environment â&#x20AC;˘ Aperture may also show listening status to others, indicating whether the user is open or closed to interruptions.

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CONCEPT II: FASHION NECKLACE

• Played with the concept of wearing the earphones off the head • Call and playback options directly on device

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CONCEPT III: DETACHABLE SPEAKERS

• Detach speakers from headband and lay on surface, open apertures • Turn it up and enjoy music loud, with playback controls placed directly on speakers themselves.

• Uniform adjustment: Controls are changed on one speaker, but changes are applied to both speakers simultaneously

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IX.

FINAL CONCEPT

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earphone + smartphone app A SYSTEM THAT OPTIMIZES PLAYBACK AND REAL-WORLD AUDIO

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FINAL CONCEPT: HEAR APP: Carving Privacy Within a Public Space • H E A R allows the optimization of real world audio so users can hear exactly what they want, at any given time.

• The H E A R app is compatible with any NFC or Bluetooth-enabled audio output device.

• May be paired with any set of headphones, but the best listening experience would be with H E A R earphones as it is 100% compatible • Volume knob, equalizer and effects on smartphone app adjusts real world audio to optimize listening experience • Engineered to give user control of any live listening experiences • Enhances user’s senses and personalizes every listening experience • App designed using Origami Studio (Facebook) and Sketch.

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APPLYING FILTERS TO THE SOUND AROUND YOU Enhancing user’s audio reality with sound effects Such as..

Adding filters to a friend’s voice Echoing live music at an acoustic show Boosting Bass at a DJ set

PERSONALIZED FOR YOU

REAL WORLD VOLUME CONTROL

H E A R records your prefer- Use active noise cancellation ences to apply a volume slider to your world.

Saves them as presets for easy application Varying degrees of Noise Cancelling allow for you to Offers suggestions based o create varying levels of sancyour environment tuary within your environment Adjustments according to your personal Listening Remove noise from your life Profile.

Adding Reverb to your experience and turning any space into a surround-sound theater

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DESIGN EXPLORATION I played around the form and shape of the earphones. Most earphones tend take on a rather static, functional shape that feed the silicone buds directly into the ear.

I decided to play with the shape. With these earphones, the earcup would cover the ear canal fully, optimizing the sound quality and it isolates noise while permitting varying levels of noise cancellation depending on the userâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s taste.

I also wanted to focus on a simple, clean, geometric, stark and lightweight yet dynamic theme, in line with its sleek yet intelligent and innovative capabilities.

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FINAL CONCEPT

WHY EARPHONES? • Excellent price-to-performance ratio • Incredibly light-weight (1.6 ounces total including wire weight) • Successfully seals ear canal opening; offering favorable noise-isolation while retaining ability to accommodate noise cancellation/ layered listening

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DESIGN FEATURES: • Minimalistic, clean design allows for versatility while pairing outfits • Sleek design reflects modernism, innovation and intelligent capabilities • Wire Connection to ensure easy storage/ lower risk of losing the earphones • Sweatproof rubber ring protects headset from sweat/water damage, increasing durability of item

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FUNCTIONS

Materials used: 1) Silicone 2) Rubber 3) Copper 4) Plastic Shell 5) Metal

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EXPLODED VIEW Earcup

External facing mic Digital Signal Processor Wireless Communication Chip

Earcup back

Speaker

Silicone Earbud

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HOW IT WORKS 1) External Facing mic picks up and processes sound as it enters H E A R earphones 2) The digital signal processor (DSP) changes the focus and characteristics of the sounds to deliver an optimized hearing result to your ears.

H E A R has carefully selected microprocessors and wireless communication chip sets that are low power, highly-integrated and miniaturized to fit insize the beautifully designed and comfortable earbud housing.

Dimensions: 31 x 28 x 9 mm Weight: 17.2g (Net Weight) Microphone: High Fidelity MEMS Digital Speaker: Balanced Armature Battery Life: 6 hour non-stop playback Battery: 100mAh lithium ion rechargeable Compability: Compatible with all smart devices, such as Android and iOS devices, as well as any audio output electronics.

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IV.

PRODUCT STORY

PRODUCTION PROCESS STICKING SPEAKERS

ASSEMBLE TAIL PLUG

ASSEMBLE EARPHONE SHELL

TEST BY HAND

WELDING SPEAKER

ASSEMBLE SILICONE CASE

TEST BY COMPUTER

MATERIALS

ARRIVE

PACKAGING APPLIED

DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS

HEAR RETAILERS

DISTRIBUTORS

ECOMMERCE

Online Marketplaces

CONSUMER

Hearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Online Store

CONSUMER RETAILERS

CONSUMER CONSUMER

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PRICING STRATEGY I

HEADPHONES BILL OF MATERIALS (Courtesy of Bryce Clark and Junming Wee of Flextronics International Ltd. “Flex”)

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Via ThomasNet.com’s extensive supplier directory, I was able to get in contact with Electronics Manufacturer, Flex (formerly known as Flextronics International Ltd. or Flextronics).

Headquartered in my hometown of Singapore, I was able to get hold of Junior Product Manager Junming Wee who gave me an estimate costs of a bill of materials when I described my product and its intended capabilities to him.

The estimate cost of each product unit will come up to approximately 14.50USD.

PRICING STRATEGY: There were a few factors I took into account while considering the pricing strategy: 1. Average Wholesale + Retail markups for Consumer Electronics (Luxury) 2. Target consumer market (Urban Millennials within the 19 - 35 year old range) 3. Cost of Goods Sold (14.50 USD) 4. Intrinsic Value Dependency Index Retail Price = [(cost of item) ÷ (100 - markup percentage)] x 100 Retail Price for H E A R earphones = [(14.50) ÷ (100 - 85%)] x 100 ≈ $96.70

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IV.

CONTEXTUAL A P P L I C A T I ON

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SOCIAL CONTEXTS WITH H E A R

Take a loud, clear call on a busy street

Layer rich content to complement a museum exhibit or sporting event

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Focus on intimate conversation in a busy environment

Take a bike ride, listen sic while mainintaing f

n to mufull con-

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Tune out the sounds of the subway while listening to your music or talking to friends

Dial down office noise while listening to

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LAYERED LISTENING

• Control volume of playback audio and ambient sound simultaneously.

• Safely listen to music while walking through the crowd, or layer live commentary over a game while still experiencing the cheering crowd.

• Unlike normal noise-cancellation headphones, H E A R earphones will not isolate you from the world, ensuring greater safety and enjoyment.

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H E A R on the go

• H E A R can be worn completely hands-free during high-intensity activities • Sweat-resistant • Allows for calls on the go • Multi-function allows seamless changing of presets, playback controls or picking up calls • Perfect for busy individuals

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H E A R IS NOT A HEARING AID

H E A R was not created as a medical hearing aid.

They are intelligent earphones and are used for recreational enjoyment only.

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THE WORLD IS YOUR SYMPHONY

Enjoy live music like never before - cut out other partygoers and increase the volume, boost the bass and shape your very own concert experience.

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STRETCH GOALS MULTIPLE COLORS

SHARING NETWORK Create, curate and save presets before sharing them with peers on H E A Râ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s social network.

LICENSING TO BE USED AS MEDICAL HEARING AID

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REFLECTION The development of the H E A R earphones have spanned 15 weeks and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re confident in our ability to deliver cutting edge functionality in a very compact wireless set of earphones.

However some challenges and risks will present themselves in the course of its production.

To reach mainstream availability, H E A R earphones have to pass regulatory and EMC testing before they can be released.

Great experience and expertise is required to understand and meet these standards and processes before we reach full confidence in our ability to ensure compliance.

H E A R hardware design uses state-ofthe-art, miniaturized circuitry and components and some are available only from limited suppliers. Unforeseen shipment delays or functionality limitations of these components may result in component substitution and impact specifications of the final shipped units.

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SOURCES Friedman, Vanessa. “Will.i.am Moves Wearables Off the Wrist With the Help of Kendall Jenner and Apple.” The New York Times. November 01, 2016. Accessed November 01, 2016. http://www. nytimes.com/2016/11/02/fashion/wearable-technology-will-i-am.html.

“Over 700,000 Commercialand Industrial Suppliers.” ThomasNet.com Supplier Search. Accessed November 07, 2016. http://www.thomasnet.com/suppliers/.

Statt, Nick. “Sony’s Futuristic Concept N Headphones Don’t Touch Your Ears.”

The Verge. March 13, 2016. Accessed November 01, 2016. http://www.theverge. com/2016/3/13/11215162/sony-project-nheadphones-future-lab-sxsw-2016.

“Stock Photos, Royalty-free Images & Video Clips.” IStockPhoto.com. Accessed October 07, 2016. http://www. istockphoto.com/.

Yu, Justin. “Amazon’s next Noise-canceling Headphones Could Turn off When Someone Yells Your Name.” CNET. July 31, 2016. Accessed November 01, 2016. https://www.cnet.com/news/amazonsnext-noise-canceling-headphonescould-turn-off-when-someone-yellsyour-name/.

Wee, Junming, and Bryce Clark. “Phonecall with Flextronics International Ltd.” Telephone interview by author. November 13, 2017.

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