We were tasked by FLIR to design a compact consumer electronics device that detects kitchen fire risks and dangers using Lepton thermal cameras. Kitchen fires, often caused by stove or oven incidents, were the leading cause of household fires according to a 2023 NFPA study. Traditional smoke detectors and heat sensors, often located outside the kitchen or slow to react, can raise alarms too late or ineffectively.
Additionally, research shows about 30% of Americans disconnected their smoke detector out of annoyance.
Why?
The loud false alarms and low battery beeps make people want to yank out the device out of frustration. We need an effective product that keeps people safe.
Create A Functional MVP
The device and app addressed different user needs, though they shared the same goal. The engineers focused on improving fire and hazard detection in the kitchen, while I designed an app to turn that technology into accessible data for users and provide an intuitive experience. Together, we aimed to create a product that is more convenient and useful than traditional smoke detectors, enhancing users' quality of life.
Early on, we decided that we wanted an app that at least functions by the end of the year, which means…
Design a functional device to app system
Ensure product success in a realistic environment
Win the end-of-year capstone competition during product demo.
Exploratative Testing
1
Usability Testing
2
Black Hat Testing
3
From the analysis of our survey, we identified 3 main types of user archetypes, which helped guide our design process later on.
The Family-Oriented User
The Neurodivergent User
After analyzing the onboarding processes of these existing products, I implemented the methods that worked well in these products and improved upon those that don't.
Onboarding
In-app
Onboarding
In-app
The Hardware
As I designed the app, I contributed to hardware design decisions that impacted onboarding. Understanding the Wi-Fi connection and camera system is key to how the onboarding experience was developed.
1. Wi-Fi Connection
We opted for Wi-Fi connection to ensure a robust system that allows users to monitor their stoves remotely, much like Ring. This choice enhances the user experience by providing reliable access and control, even when away from home.
Diagram of how all modules connect with one another
2. Two Camera System
The final device design includes a stationary camera for user/object detection and a Lepton (thermal) camera on a rotating housing for heat detection. It's designed by the engineers for easy mounting on range hoods, allowing users to view footage from both cameras while adjusting the device's location and position during installation.
EmberEye camera components
All Aboard!
(Onboarding Exploration)
While user drop-off may not be a major concern from a revenue perspective—since users would have already purchased the product before accessing the app—it’s still crucial to design a smooth and fluid onboarding process. This helps prevent churn and avoids overwhelming users, ensuring they feel comfortable and confident using the app from the start.
The final onboarding design looks something like this…
Device Set Up & Connection
Device Mounting & Finalize
How did we get here? Keep scrolling to see the design process.
I incorporated deliberate friction in the physical set up steps to prevent errors while validating users’ actions.
At a high level glance, the V1 onboarding process was good, but user testing results identified some key pain points and allowed us to refine the experience.
After testing with users, I discovered that although the detailed instructions in the onboarding flow provided reassurance for the users, it also posed an immense amount of mental effort and cognitive load to go through each step.
Solution
Solution
Solution
I restructured the onboarding user flow to address these pain points. By providing targeted instructions based on the user’s home environment, I reduced the cognitive load and streamlined the experience.
Users have a range hood that is either magnetic or nonmagnetic
I also hid the secondary information and instructions in the hints to eliminate visual clutter. The information can be accessed by tapping on the hints during the set up process. We found from testing that these instructions and information did not hinder the onboarding process if they were not presented as primary instructions.
The final onboarding user flow looks something like this...
I simplified the user experience by using shorter, straightforward instructions and highlighting key points with a white background to enhance visual hierarchy. This made the content easier to scan and reduced user overwhelm.
Visual feedback of shutter animation reduces cognitive load by clearly signaling when a step is completed.
“If we think something is personalized, we believe it'll be better suited to our needs” - Peter, BFM
Last screen of the onboarding flow before moving on to the in-app experience
When something is ocurring at the stove, users would receive a push notification that prompts them to take action and also bring them to the alert dashboard state
While users would get push notifications on their phone, the alerts are also shown visually on the dashboard to effectively get their attention when danger occurs in the kitchen. The change in color conveys urgency in the situation, and is only triggered by events that require immediate attention.
Constant alerts are just as annoying as smoke detectors. I implemented a timer feature to avoid users being badgered for not being on stand by at the stove.
Users can set a timer when dishes require longer cooking times without constant attention. This prevents unnecessary alerts and ensures the app only reminds them when the timer is up.
One of our key objectives is to give users a peace of mind when they’re away from the stove. What’s a mobile app good for if you can’t even see your stove when you’re outside?
The live view is a key feature of the app, and it's the main reason my team encouraged me to explore designing it. The idea is simple: if you can see what's happening with your stove, you'll feel more assured. If an alert goes off, you can quickly check from your phone to see if it's a false alarm, reducing anxiety. And if you leave the house unsure whether the stove is on, you can verify it through the live view without needing to rush back home.
For our final presentation and demo, I created the user manual and packaging for our device and I think it really impressed the judges that we have a (almost) fully marketable product. With the 3D mold created by the engineers, I created a packaging shell using vacuum forming to hold the device in the box. It was the extra flair that pushed us to winning our award.
In the end, the app design and source code was handed off to Teledyne FLIR, and I'm waiting for the day that our product gets on the market!
As the sole designer, I had to constantly adapt to shifts in engineering designs. I often brainstormed based on initial ideas, only for them to change due to feasibility issues. Despite these changes, I couldn’t wait for finalized plans and had to keep moving forward with my designs.
I became more adaptable and less attached to my work, embracing the iterative process as a chance to improve. Though starting over could be discouraging, it was exciting, leading to a better final product. In hindsight, I learned more from early iterations than from the final design.
