Kioku
A printer for digital memories.
Kioku greets you with one cherished text message each morning,
rekindling the warmth of a physical letter.
Duration
Type
Software
8 weeks
Self-driven project
Solidworks, Keyshot, Blender
We don't remember texts.
In a world more connected than ever, people feel increasingly distant because online conversations have become impersonal.
A tangible memory.
Inspired by the typewriter's interaction, Kioku's tactile button and paper message make users feel more grounded before they start their day.
Blends in seamlessly.
Kioku’s simple form respects its environment,
creating a quiet moment to experience each message.
Integrated experience.
Kioku is built into iMessages. With a single tap, the cherished memory is preserved in the memory bank.
Rechargeable and ready.
Kioku goes to sleep when idle and wakes with a push of the print button, lasting up to one month on a single USB-C charge.
Form that invites the hand.
The palm rests naturally on the curve, and a press on the indent opens the cap.
Refill with ease.
A red light appears when paper is low, and a spring guide clicks the new roll into place.
Precision within.
Internal components are designed for manufacturing, and optimized for draft, tolerance, and assembly.
Made to be cherished.
People are used to throwing away paper receipts, but the stand turns each print into a memory to remember at the workspace.
Refining form.
The early CAD explorations focused on developing the overall proportion and curvature.
A quiet palette.
The selected colors allows the device to fade into its surroundings, keeping attention on the printed message rather than the device.
Built with Arduino.
The printer, distance sensor, and real-time clock are soldered and programmed in C to test the interaction.
Fully functional.
The finished prototype detects distance, and automatically selects a stored message to print.
Surface continuity.
Every surface is manually modeled with curvature-continuous (G3) transitions. In contrast to G1 fillets, the geometry flows without visible breaks that interrupt the form.
