BinGo is a smart trash monitoring device that removes the guesswork from when to take the trash out. It is motivated by a common friction where users either forget to dispose of waste on time or do so at inconvenient moments, especially during poor weather. BinGo reframes this routine task as a simple, context-aware interaction. Built using an Arduino Uno Q, a ToF distance sensor, an 8-LED NeoPixel array, a servo motor and a live weather API, the system continuously monitors bin fill levels and environmental conditions. As the bin fills, LEDs shift from green to red. At the same time, the weather data triggers a servo-driven flag which signals whether it is a good time to dispose or not. Following a monitor - interpret - signal flow, BinGo provides a clear, glanceable output and helps users act at the right time without any confusion or decision fatigue.

Steep is a loose-leaf tea dispenser that picks a tea for you based on the weather in a city of your choosing. The hopper is easy to load tea into, and an actuating servo will dispense one or the other depending on whether or not precipitation (snow, rain) is present. On a sunny day you might get a fruity blend, while during a storm you may wind up with a ginger mint brew. An onboard microcontroller and distance sensor ensure the dispenser only opens when you intend for it to, and the dispensing is tuned to give one cup’s worth on every opening. The user has the agency to decide which teas are loaded, but Steep will fill your strainer for you.

Based on old-timey flip clocks, this desktop device helps you choose what to wear according to the weather. It uses the weather API to extract the weather in centigrades and rotates the display accordingly to show an article of clothing, varying from a tank top to a puffer jacket.

Keha no Niwa is an interactive installation designed for Japanese restaurants, bringing the calm spirit of karesansui and Zen aesthetics into the dining experience. Placed within the restaurant space, the installation uses three automated rakes to draw circular patterns in sand. Through variations in speed and movement combinations, the patterns subtly reflect changes in weather as well as the presence and proximity of diners. While waiting for appetizers, sushi, or freshly prepared dishes, guests are invited to approach and interact with the installation. Their movements influence the rhythm of the rakes, transforming idle waiting time into a moment of playful engagement. Rather than demanding attention, Keha no Niwa offers a quiet, meditative experience—encouraging diners to slow down, observe gradual change, and immerse themselves in the contemplative qualities of Japanese Zen culture alongside the meal.

A spice rack with added digital technology that allows this device to be ambient lighting in dark kitchens and suggest spice mixes to users. The spice rack makes suggestions based off of the weather, such as a cozy Italian blend on sunny days or a warming curry mix for overcast nights. Users may also select from a preselection of mixes. The device will then proceed to blink the names of the spices in the corresponding mix ratios, helpful for serving different party sizes. The units are modular and spice names replicable.

SmartPot is a small desktop robotic companion that bridges environmental data and everyday plant care. By sensing soil moisture and referencing local weather conditions, SmartPot interprets a plant’s needs in real time and communicates them through light, motion, and gentle language. A steady warm glow signals healthy moisture levels; a slow breathing light suggests slight dryness; and a faster blinking pattern indicates urgent need for water. Equipped with a simple tracking behavior, SmartPot turns toward nearby people to ensure its messages are noticed, translating invisible environmental changes into intuitive, emotional cues. Beyond functionality, SmartPot also serves as a warm ambient desk light, quietly coexisting with daily routines. Rather than demanding attention, the project explores how small, expressive interactions can foster care, awareness, and a more empathetic relationship between humans, technology, and living systems.

The Tossly is an automatic countertop trash bin designed to bring convenience and efficiency to everyday spaces. Created for desks, vanities, and small work areas, The Tossly offers the function of a full-sized automatic trash can in a more sleek and smaller form. Whether you are studying, applying makeup, snacking, or working on a project, The Tossly allows you to dispose of your waste instantly without interrupting your current task. Powered by an Arduino board and servo motor, The Tossly features a smooth swing-lid mechanism that opens with distance motion detection and closes automatically after use. It incorporates an LED Pixel which displays real-time weather data. For example, blue for rain and yellow for sunny. This adds both a functional and aesthetic element to the design. By minimizing small disruptions, it helps maintain a tidy environment and supports a smoother, more efficient routine. Small toss, big difference!

My vitamins sit on my desk and kitchen counter, yet I still forget to take them. While forgetfulness might seem minor, for people with vitamin deficiencies, maintaining a consistent daily routine is essential. To address this, I wanted to design something fun and interactive that helps individuals remember to take their vitamins on time. That’s why I decided to create a vitamin dispenser.

Spin the Weather is an interactive tip jar that turns a simple tip drop into a playful weather forecast. When a tip is dropped into the jar, a distance sensor detects the action and triggers a roulette-style LED animation that randomly selects one of four cities. Each city is associated with a weather called by the weather API, which is then revealed physically through the rotation of a servo motor. By combining light, motion, and chance, the tip jar invites curiosity and encourages participation, transforming an everyday object into a small moment of surprise and engagement that hopefully increases tip rate

The Gatekeeper of Snacks (GKOS) is an interactive tool you can employ to monitor and mediate the snack sharing situation with family and friends. Designed for the shared apartment counter, it brings a barrier for those roommates who finish all your snacks. The design is based on allowing roommates to grab snacks, the amount of snacks is suggested by the weather: the better the weather the less snacks allowed, encouraging going outdoors instead. The GKOS is a clip-on device to any bowl around the size of a 10 inch diameter and uses a distance sensor on the inside to sense when someone grabs a snack. The LED array displayed on the brim of the bowl shows how many remaining snacks are available and the color coordinates to the current weather. The servo holds a light weight lid that can close the opening of the lid.

The Sink Trinket is an electronically responsive case you keep next to your kitchen or bathroom sink for your jewelry. This case is for my jewelry lovers who don’t want to get their stuff wet every time they wash their hands or dishes. All you have to do is wave your hand across the small slot on the slanted surface of your case and it will automatically open, giving you about five seconds before it closes again. When it opens you can also see a light shine where you place your jewelry, informing you of the weather for that day. Built to keep your items contained and dry, this case is an unexpected and yet ideal sink-adjacent countertop item for your everyday use.

Plan Pal is a countertop assistant made specifically for the table at the fashion brand studio I work at, which is used for all processes like styling, ideation, and shoot planning. This object has a spinning miniature figure controlled by hand proximity to the sensor to support quick garment testing, as well as a live weather indicator that reflects the weather outside in Seoul. This is especially helpful because the studio is located in a basement-level space, and it is difficult to be aware of the weather during focused work sessions. Plan Pal brings this information more interactively and simply, allowing my team to choose and adjust daily tasks (e.g deciding to go outside to shoot or staying inside to finish planning). Additional/external elements like the mini camera and hanging pins serve to support rapid iteration and documentation during the initial ideation and creative process.

The Judgy Tip Jar is a countertop companion that brings a playful, reactive personality to the act of tipping. Built with an Arduino Uno Q, the jar uses a Modulino distance sensor to detect the amount of incoming tips; as a bill or hand approaches, the jar physically responds by perking up or drooping its servo-driven "ears." Its emotional state is a blend of environmental data and human interaction. By default, the jar’s temperament is tied to the local weather: it glows a cheerful yellow on sunny days but shifts to a gloomy, blue when it’s overcast. However, a tip can instantly change its mood. The Modulino light nodes flash vibrant patterns for "Happy," "Sad," or "Frowning" states, while the Arduino’s built-in LED matrix displays pixel emojis to clarify its current attitude. The result is an expressive object that turns a simple transaction into a moment of interaction.

Maneki Derpy is a riff on the Japanese maneki neko (“beckoning cat”) often found on restaurant and shop counters to invite customers and good fortune. This version is stylized after Derpy from KPop Demon Hunters (2025), a clumsy, protective character inspired by the haetae, a guardian figure from Korean mythology. When someone approaches, a distance sensor detects them, and Maneki Derpy greets them by waving his oversized arm, which is intentionally overpowered so it generates enough momentum to make him bounce on his base and evoke his lovable awkwardness. An LED array embedded in the platform echoes Derpy’s portal and shifts color based on the current weather, translating ambient conditions into an expressive “mood” for the space. Maneki Derpy invites prosperity–especially around Lunar New Year–but also reminds us that even supernatural beings can be endearingly imperfect.

Forecasting Home is a live weather ticker featuring my grandparents’ residence. Using an Arduino UNO Q, a micro servo motor, and Modulino Pixels, I repurposed a clock into a site for family connection. At the front, a drawing of my grandparents’ house remains still and grounded. Behind it, a painted background of three skies (sunny, cloudy, and rainy) rotates in response to real-time weather data. As the sky shifts, the lighting transitions from warm white to cool white to soft blue, reflecting the atmosphere outside. Designed to sit on a counter beside a landline phone, Forecasting Home offers connection across distance and time. The piece could expand to include the homes of different relatives, each displaying its own live weather. More interactive than a traditional picture frame and more intimate than a city postcard, it becomes a continuous link to the changing skies above the people we love.

I think compute should be split across objects, each one doing one thing, like a record player only plays music. First Light is that for my morning routine. It sits on the kitchen counter, shaped after the Head of Mars with Hermes' wing on the side, a Roman bust printed in PLA. The two faces represent the choice between good and evil I think about every morning. When I lean close, a distance sensor starts a meditation. The lights pulse through a breathing pattern and the wing rotates as a physical timer. At the end, the light color tells me the weather. We are the first generation where everything we record could live forever. First Light is a lamp, an alarm, and a decorative object in one, a house object that forces me to think about the legacy I am leaving behind.