Future Radio Future Radio is a project that aims to create discussion about what the next advancement in radio might be. In this case, the project has manifested in the form of a physical radio and a broadcasting method. These allow the user to access supplementary information, videos, links and more. The idea is to enhance the broadcast, while preserving the unique character of radio as a listening experience.
How Does it Work? The concept is very simple. Turn the radio on and tune to your favourite station. When something catches your attention, place your smartphone onto the ledge on the radio. Voila! Provided that you have downloaded the companion app for the radio, content created by the station relevant to what is being broadcast will appear on the screen of your device.
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Future Radio - Watch highlights, read articles, interact live with the show!
The product has been designed keeping in mind the archetypal qualities of radios from the past, but with a modern edge. The interface is simple, with two buttons and a screen, and the speaker face is of the ratio 16:9 to compliment the screen ratio of most new smartphones.
Future Radio - Watch highlights, read articles, interact live with the show!
There are two parts that are required to enable this project to become a reality. The first would be getting radio stations on board to start creating the infrastructure and content to broadcast. The second part is making a product that is capable of communicating with smart-devices to push content at the right time.
Infrastructure The server can store any content created by a station until it is ready to be received by the listeners.
Once the phone has been placed on the radio set. The Bluetooth connection tells the phone which station is playing. The phone then fetches the relevant content in real-time from the server via WiFi and the internet
The producers at the station curate their own content in their studio. It can then be sent to an internet server.
Push Content to listeners?
When not in use, the product functions as a normal radio would. It has been designed to look just as natural with or without a phone on its rest.
The radio functions as normal by itself, receiving and playing DAB .
Future Radio - Watch highlights, read articles, interact live with the show!
The radio and smart-device connect via Bluetooth Low Energy. No content is transmitted here. The connection is simply for proximity detection and for syncing the audio-content timing.
Creator’s Suite PUSH TO AUDIENCE
Create a Quiz Enter a Question:
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Answers: 1:
Preview: Question text
2: 3: 4:
Votes:
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Answer 1
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Answer 2
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Answer 3
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Answer 4
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To enable the radio station to create its own content efficiently and, if necessary, live during the show, they will be able to take advantage of a creator’s suite. The suite would have simple drag and drop features with ready made templates for content such as quizzes and bulletins. The suite would also include feature such as participation data, advertisement revenue options and other analytical tools. The decision was made to use a smartphone as the screen interface, instead of building it in to the product. Having a screen built in felt like it was distracting from the core values of radio. Using a smartphone leaves the choice with the user as to whether they want to view the content or not. In addition, smartphones are continually replaced by the user as their technology improves. This allows the radio set to stay the same but use increasingly better screens and interfaces as smartphone technology advances, increasing the longevity of the product.
Illustrative Videos The videos shown through these links, or on the designated computer, show some of the possibilities that a better connected radio could provide. The first video linked below shows what a morning routine might look like with the new radio.
Future Radio Morning Routine 1:02
In the second and third videos, the concept is communicated by showing what content may be available during a sports broadcast, and also a descriptive discussion.
Future Radio - Plant Theft 0:22
Future Radio - Joshua Klitscho Fight 0:29
The fourth and final video is fast-paced and gives a quick, energetic overview of what the product is capable of.
Future Radio - Advert 0:55
Comments Joseph Begley - Lincs FM Presenter
Jamie Steane - Associate Head of the School of Design at Northumbria
“One of the problems radio faces is that people’s time and entertainment comes from so many more sources than it used to and there’s so many more options. Using your phone to give you a greater, more rounded product is a strong step forward.”
“Where to add physical delight and difference in an increasingly virtual product landscape is an important question for designers. This project enters the debate by creating an enhanced product experience that sits at the centre of the digital/physical continuum.”
91% of 18-44 year olds in the UK own a smartphone1. This high figure reflects the nature of dual-screening in today’s society. No longer is one type of media satisfactory, people demand more ways of interacting with their entertainment. https://www.deloitte.co.uk - Global Mobile Consumer Survey 2016: UK Cut 1