ray

Inspired by real world issues, Ray is a lighting device designed to help with the lack of sunlight in Beijing's low-end underground apartments.
The light changes its source and intensity to simulate Sun's behavior. Connection to a real-time clock device helps to  control the quality of light by responding to the precise time of day.

The initial drawings vary in theme. Some were pure form explorations- treating the objects as an illuminated sculpture of sorts, while the later ones strictly dealt with the direction and source of lighting. Because the target demographic has very limited funds and to say the least a very modest living situation, the focus quickly shifted to functionality, giving it the utmost priority. The form followed.

Going through the ideation process it quickly became apparent that drawings alone will not give me the real sense of the object's function. It was clearly time to move on to physical exploration.
The tests were conducted using an LED flashlight and objects of different shapes, thicknesses and opacity. This was crucial in establishing the location, direction, form, and material of the lamp.