Playful Home

Playful Home is an ecosystem that utilizes domestic space as a site for creative engagement. Rather than replacing existing infrastructure, it acts as an interaction layer built on top of standard smart home systems.

At its core are Wobbles — a collection of wireless, 3D-printed tangible objects that translate physical gestures (tilts, spins, rotations) into expressive digital data via Wi-Fi and Open Sound Control (OSC). This data drives two environmental outputs: generative soundscapes in VCV Rack and dynamic ambient lighting through Philips Hue.

Three distinct interaction scenes govern how gesture data is interpreted — from direct, perceptible mappings to randomized systems that resist decoding. Proximity between Wobbles triggers additional lighting responses as objects cross calibrated distance thresholds, turning the room into a responsive instrument.

The project follows a Research through Design methodology, employing iterative prototyping across custom circuitry, creative coding, parametric 3D-printed hardware, and networked systems design. Drawing from Tangible User Interfaces (TUI), HCI, calm technology, and ludic design, the result is an environment where the home is not controlled so much as played.