"Lumi" is a lamp sculpture that aims to promote relaxation for autistic users experiencing symptoms of overstimulation.‍My first studio project at UCLA's Design Media Arts program was to fabricate a lamp using 3D CAD software and laser cutting.

While the project was primarily a technical exercise, it became a platform for me to express my passion for creating products that positively impact people's lives. This passion is deeply rooted in my personal experiences, as I have close connections to the neurodiverse community. Their struggles with overstimulation inspired me to create a solution that could ease the overwhelming feelings of sensory overload.‍

I conducted a competitive analysis of relaxation lamps currently on the market. I saw an area of opportunity to create a lamp that also functioned as an aesthetically pleasing art sculpture that enhances the visuals of a space when it's turned on as much as when it's turned off. I then researched what shapes, colors, and patterns promote relaxation.

I discovered that simple geometric shapes such as circles, triangles, and squares cause feelings of calm when a viewer looks at them. When deciding on what colors to use, I searched "Autisim overstimulation relaxation" on YouTube and found hour-long videos of rainbow-colored motion graphics that are meant to be watched to reduce feelings of anxiety when experiencing sensory overload. For that reason, I decided to replicate the color palette in these videos and use iridescence transparent paper to create a rainbow effect that would refract off of the transparent acrylic supporting structure.

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