There is something about interacting with a physical product that makes the experience feel more connected, an app falls short of matching this quality. Antenna is a Bluetooth speaker and radio that has made full use of physical interaction and has maximized intuitive usability in the process!

The buttons, switches and dials that clutter the design of many radios have been replaced by a single ‘antenna’. The device is controlled through a series of actions that each revolve around the brightly colored antenna; by pushing, pulling and rotating the ball, common commands including the volume and frequency can be adjusted.

There is something so intriguing about the simplistic design; the over-sized dial brings an element of playfulness to the product, giving it a fun and appealing aesthetic that encourages physical interaction. It’s great to see a speaker that doesn’t rely on an impersonal smart-phone application.

Designer: Jaekyu Jung

“The ‘antenna’ provides the means of controlling the power, frequency and volume. To turn the power on, the user must grasp the ball gently and pull it upwards. To manually adjust the frequency, the user must lightly push the controller to the left or right. For automatic frequency adjustment, the controller must be pushed left or right for an extended period of time. To adjust the volume, the user must hold the ball and turn it to the left or right. At the front of the radio is a speaker with hidden lighting for frequency, and volume information review,” explains Jung.