Meet the Creative Techs: Majenta Strongheart and Erika Earl
Majenta Strongheart and Erika Earl joined our Creative Tech Residency program from Supplyframe DesignLab, a Pasadena-based research and development studio that facilitates collaboration in product design, manufacturing, art, and technology. Together, they used the Mega Pressure Matrix to create a Modular Electronic Tile, Calascere. Calescere is a culmination of ideas and projects Majenta and Erika have been developing over the last couple of years. They both used this residency as an opportunity to explore the creation of modular electronic tiles that are soft, can warm up, have a diffused light element, and a framework that can integrate these tiles with musical compositions and a circular energy system. Read on to learn more about these two outstanding creators and the future of Calascere.
Q: What is your background in design, creative technology, wearables, etc?
Erika Earl is an Audio Engineer and Hardware Developer who is working on spatial, immersive and interactive ambisonic audio in the VR/XR space. Erika co-founded Earl Virtual Innovation Lab (EVIL Tech), and XR Creative and currently works as a contract Electrical Engineer for Supplyframe's DesignLab. In 2020, she supported the NASA JPL VITAL ventilator project with parts procurement, design for manufacture, and material requirement planning. She has extensive experience in developing audio touchscreen interfaces and audio electronics.
Majenta Strongheart is an emerging designer, working as the Head of Design and Partnerships at Supplyframe's DesignLab. Majenta creates objects, experiences, and events at the intersection of design, social innovation, science, and fine arts. She is interested in socially-positive design, research, and collaboration; focusing on the ways design thinking and problem solving can contribute to a diverse range of conversations; including issues of sustainability when it comes to materials and processes for manufacturing. Through her work, Majenta aims to spark curiosity, provide access to new topics, and encourage interaction.
Q: What did you make using LOOMIA components?
Together, we created Calascere: A Modular Electronic Tile. Calascere allows creators to link heat, touch, pressure, audio, and light for more connected experiences, art, and interactions with our environments. We're thinking of this as a first iteration for a larger project we are working on. Hoping to eventually develop this into slimmer architectural tiles for the floor or wall, an interactive connected yoga mat, heated and/or connected furniture, and a more robust module that can be connected serially to create larger immersive and responsive spaces.
Q: What was your favorite part of working with LOOMIA components, and which ones did you use?
The magic of the LOOMIA components is that they give you the 20 percent inspiration right out the gate. Since they are so user friendly, you can easily see what they are capable of right when they arrive and start imagining how they will fit into your project with little to no barrier to entry. We had no shortage of ideas of what to make when we received our LOOMIA samples, we almost had too many ideas! It was tough to narrow them down. We ended up using LOOMIA's Mega Pressure Matrix.
Q: What, if any, challenges did you face while making your project/product and how did you overcome them?
Our greatest challenge for this project was figuring out the stack up (order of layers of components). Since we wanted the full surface area of the tile to warm up, read pressure, and show the LEDs, we had to experiment with a few different assemblies before we landed on the final one. But that's prototyping for ya!
Q: Who do you see being the potential end user of this project/product?
For now, we mostly see other creators using this project. We would love to see what innovations other creatives would come up with. We see Calascere as more of a platform or puzzle piece for other artists, designers, and engineers to build with.
Q: Favorite feature of the project/product?
Our favorite feature is the feeling and tension achieved by combining the soma foama cast piece, the silicon top cover, and the heater element. We were going for a sort of a warm Tempur-Pedic mattress feeling and we're excited about how closely we were able to achieve that!
Q: Self-promo time! Where can we find your stuff?
https://hackaday.io/Supplyframe.DesignLab
IG: @SupplyframeDesignLab @MajentaStrongheart @Erika__Earl