Technology has changed how we think about memory and permanence. This idea influenced my approach to digital remembrance and nostalgia.
Background
We live in an era where our memories are no longer just biological; they exist in cloud servers, photo streams, and endless scrolling feeds. Our identities, sense of self, and relationships are deeply intertwined with digital media; yet the technology that archives our lives often feels impersonal — efficient but indifferent, abundant but ephemeral.
What happens when we try to give digital memories the weight, presence, and tenderness of something more tangible?
This project explores the paradox of human memory in a digital age. How can a machine, cold, structured, and logical, hold something as fleeting, intimate, and chaotic as a memory? Memory Box reimagines technology as a vessel for nostalgia, joy, and reflection, creating a space where past and present coexist in an ever-evolving stream of recollection.
Concept development
The initial concept for the project was a Digital Time Capsule app, where users could curate a collection of memories for future reflection. I wanted to create an experience that would allow memories to be stored intentionally, offering users a space to revisit their past with meaning, rather than the constant barrage of digital notifications that fragment our recollections. The design focused on offering users the ability to choose which memories to revisit, providing a more thoughtful approach to memory curation.
Home page
The home page introduces the core concept; the simple interface encourages users to start their journey of reflection with ease.
Creating a capsule
The design for uploading media emphasizes a streamlined process, allowing users to focus on the emotional value of what they’re preserving.
Building a memory journey
The 'memory journey' map invites users to connect their memories in a narrative-driven way, visualizing the path their recollections take across time and space.
The physical computing logic for the Arduino setup — users interacted with a frontend website and the server both updated a SQL database and sent the messages to the Arduino serial port, which then communicated to the LCD screen. A QR code on the setup directed new users back to the frontend website to enact a continuous flow of memories.
physical prototype
In refining the concept, I iterated towards a more tangible, interactive experience. This evolved into a physical memory box — a dynamic, Arduino-powered LCD screen that continuously displayed user-submitted memories.
The shift from an app to a physical object allowed for a more immersive, communal experience. Users could submit their memories digitally, but the content would be displayed in real-time on a shared screen, creating a collective, fluid memory stream. The physical nature of the display made the experience more tangible, while the scrolling LCD screen mirrored the transient nature of memory in the digital age.
The choice of the LCD screen was intentional for their inherent transience; the dynamic and fleeting nature of scrolling LEDs mirrors the impermanence of memory and information in the digital age. The evolving, unpredictable display transformed the experience, making it feel like a living, constantly shifting collection of memories.
final product
For the final iteration, I chose a fully digital format, enabling universal access and interaction. Transitioning to a web-based platform expanded the project's reach, allowing anyone, anywhere to contribute and experience the digital memory box. This made the project more inclusive and scalable, aligning with the goal of creating a collective, evolving memory space.
The digital interface was designed to mirror the ephemeral and dynamic nature of memory. As users submitted their memories, they would appear in a continuous stream, giving the impression of an ever-evolving collective narrative. Memories didn’t remain static; they cycled in and out, emphasizing the transient nature of digital information and our impressions of the past.