REFRAME THESIS PROJECT

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REFRAME - THESIS PROJECT AT CIID
Advisors: Harsha Vardhan, Jose Chavarría, Chris Downs
Duration: 9 Weeks

Reframe is an "information camera" for invisible data. It doesn't take pictures, but combines your location with live datasets to surface the hidden stories of a city - revealing it’s historical traces, unseen social patterns & envoirnmental conditions.

This project addresses a fundamental tension in urban mobility: while navigation systems optimize for efficiency, they often generate stress and a social disconnect from the place. Reframe proposes an alternative paradigm where the act of moving through space becomes a form of contextual inquiry. By revealing the information-rich qualities of seemingly mundane environments, the system transforms routine commutes into opportunities for spatial discovery and reflection.

RESEARCH

This project began with an exploratory question: what does commuting feel like for people with reduced mobility? My first instinct was to design an accessibility-focused tool that could ease the stress of everyday travel. I started by speaking to people with disabilites, curious about their everyday experiences of moving through cities.

To build a deeper understanding, I visited social co-operatives, spent time on public transport, and spoke with people with disabilities ranging from those with low vision to wheelchair users. These conversations helped me understand their lived experiences of navigating cities.

“In the perfect world, getting around should be like teleportation”
- Mike, Low Vision Individual

I interviewed experts who provided perspectives on urban & autonomous mobility, accessibility, inclusive design and the role of data in shaping experiences. Their input framed commuting not just as a logistical issue but as an emotional and cultural one.

What I discovered through these conversations, and later through broader research, challenged my assumptions and led me toward a more universal design opportunity. Reframe emerged as an attempt to look at our surroundings differently, to peel back what usually goes unnoticed and make hidden layers of information tangible.

WHY DOES THIS MATTER?
Initially, I approached this challenge from an accessibility perspective, speaking with people with reduced mobility. When asked about their “dream” way of commuting, surprisingly, several including Mike, simply answered “teleportation.”

What struck me was not just the wish for convenience, but a deeper, almost emotional need to escape the monotony of the journey itself. This made it clear that transit fatigue isn’t a challenge limited to those with mobility barriers, it's a universal experience, intensified by stress, repetition, and the constant pressure to keep moving faster.

Another recurring insight from my conversations was around how navigation apps are designed with speed as the priority, often overlooking comfort and accessibility. Commuting is universal, yet most navigation systems prioritize efficiency over human experience. And this led me to dive deeper into exploring how navigation can be more comfort and discovery oriented.

EXPLORATIONS

Compass as a metaphor?

Explored how orientation could drive curiosity rather than efficiency. Learned that not having clear directions fuelled more anxiety rather than curiosity.

Stress-Free Navigation

Explored "comfort" as a design value, routes optimized for low crowds, quiet paths, and relaxing scenery. Conducted a bodystorming exercise with my friend vedant, where I gave directions while following him. Noticed how the soundscape naturally shifts after he transitioned to the "calm" route post-bus ride, enhancing a sense of comfort and relaxed navigation experience at the expense of time.

This experiment prompted me to reflect more deeply on how to balance comfort, efficiency, and discovery in mobility. It raised key questions for me: How can journeys be made meaningful without sacrificing time? How might we bring discovery back into movement?

This exploration led me to the types of information already tied to places through existing databases. While these datasets contain a wide range of details, they often exist only in machine readable formats - useful for machines but not meaningful for people moving through a space. This gave me a baseline to explore further, more on how this data can be used in a meaningful way to fuel curiosity while on the move.

Design Challenge
How might we create location-responsive experiences that inspire curiosity and presence during everyday travel between spaces?
With the problem space defined, I started asking what kinds of information could make movement more meaningful. Was it local news or what’s happening around me? The accessibility of a place? The weather or pollution levels? Maybe the nature I’m passing by, or the history beneath my feet. I realized it’s not about overwhelming detail, but about just enough to spark curiosity or even start a conversation.

I thought of the camera as the perfect metaphor for discovery, a tool that captures new perspectives depending on the settings you choose. What if information could be designed in a similar way, where adjusting filters or modes lets us uncover different layers of a space and engage with it more meaningfully?

FORM & FUNCTION

So I decided to prototype a camera-like object one that doesn’t capture images, but instead collects contextual, location-based information.

As a proof of concept, I mocked and 3D printed a case to go on top of my phone’s screen to mimic a new point & shoot experience.

Subsequently, I developed a prototype using Arduino, GPS, and a 9-axis accelerometer to simulate a physical camera-like object with actual controls, which was not possible with the phone. While the prototype functioned, the sensors' unreliability indoors made consistent and accurate testing more difficult.

With the concept fresh in mind, I started to take the form more seriously, making sure the camera metaphor was evident in the device's look, feel, and functionality.
With my friend Juan’s help, we created this shell. For packaging, I opted to use an old smartphone with its display and sensors to achieve a more reliable output.

Followed up by fabricating a shell along with a custom PCB featuring a rotary encoder to interface with the smartphone wirelessly, serving as a physical dial to control the filters.

Testing the first functional prototype using gathered data and proper orientation.

FINAL FORM

‘I really wanted the form-factor to resemble a handheld camera, making it intuitive for the user to understand and naturally explore its functionalities’.

INTERFACE

I kept the interface minimal so the focus stays on discovery. A wide crosshair helps users aim the device, while the viewfinder updates with location details—like weather and pollution levels, as they pan around.

On capture, one can view essential details like the current location, selected filter, and contextual information. This is summarized in a concise and easily digestible tone, automatically dismissing after 15 seconds.

Simply pan and the device automatically snaps to a location based on the co-ordinates and orientation
Physical dial that acts as a toggle for filters and a shutter button on press

Hardware: Arduino MKR 1010 WiFi, rotary encoder, 3.7V Li-Po battery, iPhone (display + GPS), and a 3D Printed body.
Software: Node.js with HTTPS, Socket.IO (WebSocket), UDP (Arduino ↔ server), frontend in HTML/CSS/JavaScript with Device APIs, JSON for data storage.

CLOSING

Imagine a world where the daily commute is no longer just a line between A and B. With each glance, familiar routes reveal hidden stories, transforming motion into presence. Commuting becomes less about arriving quickly, and more about noticing, reflecting, and connecting with the world along the way.

Through Reframe, I explored how design can reshape the meaning of everyday routines. I learned that sometimes the most impactful interventions don’t change what we do, but how we experience it. Reframe asks us to imagine mobility not just as empty transit, but as an opportunity to slow down and notice.

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