Meet the Creative Tech: Yuchen Zhang
Yuchen Zhang is a fashion tech designer and lecturer at Parsons School of Art and Design. She has worked with several well-known brands and companies such as Zac Posen and Google, and is currently the CEO of Wearable Media Studio. During her time as a Creative Tech Resident, Yuchen made a piece of color-changing wall art using our 5V-7.2V Heater. Read on to find out more about Yuchen and her creative process behind producing her illuminated masterpiece.
Q: What is your background in design, creative technology, wearables, etc?
I was a visual designer working in branding and UX design. I became interested in learning how I could utilize electronic technology at Parsons Design & Technology program. So, I started working with physical computing. With a curiosity about fashion, my physical computing project very quickly started to find their ways on the human body.
Q: Where did the idea for a color-changing wall art come from?
I think how something looks is as important as how it functions. Heating units are always in a way joyless in apartment settings. Knowing Loomia has flat and soft heating panels and I can use thermochromic pigments, I decided to create a dynamic surface that changes color and temperature at the same time. In this way, people can enjoy the warmth and the intricate visual patterns from the wall art at the same time!
Q: What was your favorite part of working with LOOMIA components?
I loooooved the sticky back! Also realized the rounded corners as well as how friendly everything is designed. As much as working on electronics is very a very nerdy thing, I still appreciate a well designed good looking electronic components.
Q: What, if any, challenges did you face while making the wall art and how did you overcome them?
I actually broke one of the soldering pins off the 4 wire bus. I think I soldered on the soldering pin instead of the soldering pad. Now I realized the reason is that I a so used to solder onto the soldering pin. I thought I was only supposed to use the soldering pad with the alligator pin. It was totally a habit thing. Now I know I can make secure connections by using the soldering pad.
Q: Who do you see being the end user of this wall art, and do you think this could be used for larger scale applications such as home interiors?
My dream customer persona is a college student who lives in a dorm. She/he/they would like to keep a tactile wall art by their bedside that keeps them warm and makes them happy. May because I teach college students and I see their dorms and rooms from Zoom classes. They always have inspiring wall decorations. Also, the idea for this project is to create a proof of concept for a modular soft heating wall panel. I can totally see how this could be scaled bigger and larger quantities. It could expand to modular smart wall panels that are sound absorbent, color-changing, heat up, and controlled by touch. If anyone would like to develop this together, I am open to the idea!
Q: Favorite feature of the wall art?
I love the pleats. Pleating is one of the most basic fabric manipulations anyone can learn to do. At the same time, it is also so beautiful to look at.
Q: Self-promo time! Where can we find your stuff?
Please head to my web site www.yuchenzhang.com, on Medium, and Instagram @yuchenzhang_
