Background & Research


Coily, the lamp, is an extension of my earlier project, Twisty, the lamp

Where Twisty used motion mainly to signal, a functional tool for getting attention, Coily focuses on becoming a companion: a body-double presence for the user. Built on similar electronics, Coily trades signaling for fluid, organic movement, so it reads less like a device and more like an organism sharing the room with you.



Continuum Robotics
I looked into continuum robots for their fluid, organic movement, and that research led me to the concept. 
A light bulb that comes alive the moment it's plugged in!

Credit: A Lightweight Modular Segment Design for Tendon-Driven Continuum Robots
Concept Sketch
AI-rendered, refined in Photoshop 

However, after experimenting with different materials, forms, and scales, I found that the combined weight of the bulb and lampshade became too heavy for the structure to support.

This created a trade-off. Adding structure to carry the weight gave me stability but cost me fluidity. Alternatively, a hanging structure wouldn't have to fight gravity, potentially achieving the more fluid, organic movement I was after.




Coily, The Lamp          /           Background & Research           /           Sketches         /           How It Works: Continuum Robotics           /           CAD & Prototyping