Fun(gi) Beats
A do-it-yourself speaker kit that introduces Makers and Educators to incorporating mycelium into electronics. An exploration into the captivating realm of sustainable technology.
YEAR: 2020
ROLE: Engineer, Industrial Designer
STATE: Working Prototype
COLLABORATORS:
Eldy Lazaro [Researcher, Colleague]
MEDIA:
* Downloadable parts can be found at 3D Freebies
Brief
With only 15 to 20 percent of our electronic waste being appropriately recycled; the remainder is either disposed of in landfills or incinerated. This issue is exacerbated by the fact that the majority of consumer electronic enclosures are constructed from ABS plastic, which demands energy-intensive procedures for recycling.
To address this problem, a potential solution is to adopt greener materials in the manufacturing of electronics, thereby reducing the environmental impact and promoting more sustainable waste management practices.
Photo: ABS keycaps that have been recycled into a plastic sheet from Guacamole Airplane Design Studio. Recycled ABS provide challenges when it comes to forming pieces with complex geometry.
Strategy
Develop a product that can introduce a wide audience to the concept of using mycelium 🍄, with consumer electronics 📻.
The design should be:
1) Easy to assemble; easy to use
2) Open-Source; to invite collaboration
3) Rugged; to be handled by an audience during demonstrations
Given a 3-week timeline, this prototype was built around Ecovative’s “Grow-It-Yourself” Mycelium Kit.
Ideation
Design Details
User-Experience should focus on growing mycelium and assembling the product.
Components that use traditional, non-sustainable materials should be highlighted to user as a means to showcases areas of improvement towards “greener” consumer products.
Prototyping
3D-Printed molds were used to form the shape of the mycelium parts. Providing the user with the model files creates opportunity to use plastic alternatives for their prints; such as Algae Based PLA filament.
Photo (left): The three-piece mycelium mold used for the speaker housing.
Photo (right): The mycelium speaker housing alongside its corresponding mold.
Photo (left): Threading the speaker into the mycelium housing
Photo (right): The acrylic speaker and base and grill alongside the thread adapters that have been 3D printed using algae-based filament.
Final Design
After the grow period, the mycelium is cured in the oven and the final components are added to the speakers.
Photo: The final assembly of the (Fun)gi Speakers.
Photo: Detail shot of the speaker assembly.