Elettra - Holographic Fireplace
Role: Lead Visual Designer / UX Designer
Responsibilities: Visual Engineering & Rendering Pipeline
Interaction Model & Physical UX
Print-ready User Manual
Collaborators: Hardware Engineer, Embedded Software Developer, Mobile App Developer
Tools: After Effects, Premiere Pro, InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, FigJam
Overview
A high-fidelity holographic system engineered on the Raspberry Pi architecture. This project bridges physical industrial design with digital fluid dynamics, delivering a photorealistic fire illusion optimized for the strict thermal and processing constraints of embedded hardware.
The Challenge: Realism vs. Performance
The objective was to deliver a photorealistic fluid dynamic experience on strictly resource-constrained embedded hardware (Raspberry Pi). The core conflict lay in achieving high-fidelity visual output without triggering thermal throttling or necessitating a costly processor upgrade for the unit.
Solution: Visual Engineering Pipeline
To bypass hardware limitations, I architected a "zero-overhead" rendering strategy. Instead of real-time processing, I implemented a pipeline of pre-mirrored, optimized loop containers. This reduced CPU load significantly, ensuring smooth playback. The visual experience is further grounded by a custom ambient lighting. Physical LEDs with the digital flame intensity, creating a cohesive sense of depth.
Physical UX & Interaction
The interaction model was designed to be "invisible" treating the device as furniture rather than a computer. I decoupled complex setup tasks (like Wi-Fi configuration) to a companion mobile app, keeping the fireplace display immersion-focused. The physical remote control utilizes a zoned architecture, separating utility functions from atmospheric adjustments to allow for intuitive, muscle-memory operation.
Outcome: Exhibition Readiness
The system was deployed as a production-grade prototype, achieving 100% uptime during intensive trade show stress tests. The project validated that rigorous asset optimization can deliver high-end immersive experiences on accessible, low-power hardware architectures.
