Monklap

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Pdf version20.2 MB · Monklap_Portfolio.pdf

02 — Overview

Scent,
on cue

Monklap is a wall-mounted or desktop diffuser shaped like a friendly monkey. Walk up and clap, and it responds with a pulse of fragrant mist from its mouth.

No buttons, no app, nothing to touch.

01
Touchless
Sound and proximity replace the spray trigger, for moments when your hands are busy, wet or full.
02
Interactive
An OLED face gives it a character and shows visible feedback for every state.
03
Ambient
A wick-fed ultrasonic atomizer releases a 1.5-second burst of mist on demand, not a constant stream.

03 — Target users

Monklap
is for…

Three groups who want scent to feel like a moment of play, not another chore.

01
Aesthetic & tech enthusiasts
Gen Z and millennials looking for desk-friendly home objects with sound-driven, physical interaction rather than another standard IoT device.
- Desk setups
- Character objects
02
Touchless, functional users
People who need instant, hands-free odor control while cooking, caring for pets, or whenever their hands are busy.
- Kitchens
- Pets
- Busy hands
03
Experiential commercial spaces
Pop-up stores, cafés and galleries that want interactive, sensory branding at the entrance — a scent that greets visitors.
- Pop-ups
- Cafés
- Galleries

04 — ESP32 & sensors

Two sensors, two outcomes

05 — Inside the face

Wireframe breakdown

Hidden lines on — drawn from the Rhino model

01
Rest
Nobody near, or no sound
02
Wake
Someone near + clap or noise
03
Smile
Smiles back at the clap
04
Pulse
1.5 s burst of mist

06 — System & assembly

Fill, twist,
clap.

01
Fill the tank
Fill the tank with water and a water-soluble air freshener.
02
Twist into the head
The lid's bayonet locks into the head. A wick carries water up to the mouth.
03
Hang it and clap
A keyhole slot on the back hangs it on a single screw. No buttons. The face does the rest.

07 — Sketch & ideation

From a button to
a clap

Monklap began as a "Sound & Scent System": a comfort tool for public spaces that played music as people walked by, then sprayed fragrance on their wrists at the press of a button.

Kept: Walk-up wake, a digital face, scent as a reward
Changed: The button became a clap; the form became a monkey

Initial concept — walk-by music & wrist spray

08 — Process & lessons

Process & lessons

Modeling: Taking Monklap from rough sketches to 3D models in Rhino taught me that the more specific a plan is, the less time I lose troubleshooting changes later. I now understand not only how to model objects for real-world use, but also how to plan a project so each stage of making flows into the next with less friction.
3D printing: I printed Monklap's parts from my Rhino models on a Bambu Lab A1 using Bambu Studio. Printing itself went smoothly, but some edges warped, so I had to sand those surfaces flat.
Soldering: I troubleshot shorts caused by broken cords, cold solder joints and tangled stripped wires. Each time, I reopened the board, resoldered the joints and added hot glue so the same problem wouldn't happen again.
Assembly: Using the joint structures I designed during modeling, I fitted the sensors, display and atomizer in order. My plans for the circuits and wick didn't always match reality, so it took a lot of trial and error. After four rounds of printing and fitting, I arrived at the current Monklap.

09 — Final prototype

Monklap, awake.

The finished Monklap: live OLED eyes, ultrasonic sensors in the nostrils and an atomizer in the mouth, all running on an ESP32.

Touchless

Interactive

Ambient

Aesthetic & tech enthusiasts

Touchless, functional users

Experiential commercial spaces

Rest

Wake

Smile

Pulse

Fill the tank

Twist into the head

Hang it and clap