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Cobble Bluetooth Speaker Integrates Mindfulness and Audio Through Interactive Peg Interface

Eric Wu's Cobble Bluetooth speaker has been recognized with the prestigious Iron A' Design Award in the Digital and Electronic Device category for 2025. Developed over six months in Rhode Island, Cobble stands out for its unique approach to mindfulness, offering users a tactile, interactive experience inspired by the ancient board game Go. The speaker features a grid interface on its top surface, where users can arrange four magnetic pegs in various patterns to activate different sound profiles, such as nature and white noise loops, in addition to standard Bluetooth audio playback.

The design was born from Wu's desire to explore alternative forms of mindfulness beyond traditional meditation practices. Drawing inspiration from the simple, focused actions found in games like Go, Cobble encourages "inadvertent mindfulness" by inviting users to engage with its peg interface. Research conducted in co-working spaces informed the optimal size, spacing, and number of pegs to ensure the experience is both novel and comfortable without overwhelming the user or occupying excessive space.

Cobble's prototype features a wooden casing with sand-blasted acrylic panels that diffuse LED lighting, creating a calming visual effect. The control panel, initially built with an Arduino Nano, utilizes magnetic Hall effect sensors for reliable peg detection and will be refined for mass production. The speaker's compact footprint (7 1/2" x 7 5/16" x 2") makes it ideal for office or home use, seamlessly integrating moments of playfulness and mindfulness into daily routines. The Iron A' Design Award recognizes Cobble's practical innovation, technical competence, and its contribution to fostering well-being through design.

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