Yuxin Jin

RE-TOUCH

Evocative objects for reconnecting memory

All of us have experienced moments in life that were special — magical, meaningful, playful — yet fleeting and buried in our memories. Most often, such moments involve childhood, nature, and growth — and they're not accessible in our everyday adult lives.

Shared experiences and feelings can evoke emotional resonance and a sense of collective experience. Therefore, objects transformed from these shared experiences can not only carry memories but also become carriers to awaken people's memories.

These products are emotionally resonant because each one evokes the memory impression of one of these special, fleeting moments. I want people using my products to be emotionally uplifted by revisiting one of the fleeting moments they've known.

Many special moments are fleeting and buried in our memories. In childhood, kids are full of curiosity about the world around them. They always see novelty and wonder in the familiar and notice what we’ve long since learned to ignore.

However, in the hustle and bustle of modern life, people are always pursuing efficiency and moving forward. The stimulation of modern life wears down the senses, leaving us dull and indifferent, and we gradually lose some of our perceptions of life.

Any memory impressions are essential to an individual, as these seemingly insignificant memories are key elements that make up our identity. I want people to pause in front of my product, reflect, revisit the subtle feelings that have been ignored, and appreciate the present moment.

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Photos of all works

Lost Memory 

Objects are carriers of memories, especially those with meaningful stories. I explored the role of memory in establishing the emotional connection between newly designed objects and people.

Shared experiences can create emotional reconnection. People with similar experiences tend to have a deeper understanding of and connection to the product. Therefore, objects transformed from these shared experiences can not only carry memories but also become carriers to awaken people's memories.

This work is dedicated to exploring the application of emotional resonance in product design. It identifies and analyzes shared memory impressions that evoke deep emotional connections in people and explores how to translate these memory impressions into products effectively. 
It registers and reformats memory impressions rooted in shared experiences: the impact of seasonal weather, the incremental growth in a child's development, and the joy of playing with a favorite toy. Extending the residual effect of these experiences into interactive objects reinforces their enduring power.

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Methodology chart

Shared Memory Impression

One day it was raining, as I paused before a window, I noticed a happy face drawn on the foggy glass. I didn't know who left it there, but it suddenly touched me, reminding me of the boring times on the bus ride home in high school on rainy days. During the user research, I found that most people have this experience; some say they like to draw on the beach, and some say they like to draw on dusty glass, but for me, the favorite is still the foggy glass because after a while, the glass will fog up again. The traces of the drawing will slowly disappear.

I transformed this memory into a window-like public installation in the subway. People can leave messages or what they want to say on the window. As time passes, the marks disappear into the screen.

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Fog Index

Fog Index
14inch*23inch*2inch
touch-screen monitor, walnut, Raspberry Pi

It is a normal wall corner but different from the others because there are marks on it that record my height. When I was young, every two months, I would excitedly call my dad to measure my height. I stood against the wall, and my dad used a thick book to find the spot above my head against the wall and used the pen to mark on the wall. 
I transformed this memory into a hanger designed for families with children. It's a hanger as well as a height chart. There is a T-track embedded inside on which the hooks can be moved, and the hooks can be fixed in any position by turning them. Children have their hanger hooks, which change as they grow. The date can also be left in pencil on the right side. This is a piece of furniture that can record the growth of children.

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Growing up

Growing up
6.5 inch*40 inch*1inch
Oak, walnut, aluminum. 

Do you agree that different seasons have special smells and sounds? For me, the sound of fall is walking on a road covered with thick fallen leaves. When I walked over the leaves, the sound of clicking gave me a special feeling. It seemed to have a charm that attracted me to step on it a few more times. I recalled that when I was a kid, I loved jumping into the greenbelt and stepping on the leaves, but my mom would get mad. She wouldn't let me do it because she thought it was dirty in the pile of fallen leaves. 
I recorded this sound on a rug, and when walking on it, it makes the clicking sound of stepping on fallen leaves. So I can step on leaves without any worry.

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Autumn’s whisper

Autumn’s whisper
30inch*40inch*1inch
Fabric, mylar paper, baking paper 

One day, as I blew out an aroma candle, I suddenly felt a sense of ritual. Every year, when I had a birthday cake, I stuck candles in it. After making a wish, I would blow out all the candles. My parents told me to blow them out in one breath so that the wish I made would come true. 
I realized that there is an invisible link in people's memories that connects blowing out and making a wish. I designed a bedside lamp that people can make a wish for tomorrow and then blow out before they go to bed. It transforms the memories of past wishes into aspirations for the future. .

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Make a wish lamp

Make a wish
11inch*1inch*3inch
oak, brass

Slinky was one of my favorite toys when I was young. I loved watching it tumble down the stairs; its structure was simple - just a spring - but it had enough charm to make any child fall in love with it. I was thinking it would be cool if there was a light that needed to be reversed to turn it on. It would be like playing with slinky every time I turn the light on.

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Somersault

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