Jess Stubenbord

Battery Thesis

This project was the result of my thesis work at Malmö University. I began researching battery information display after realizing the vast scale at which rechargeable batteries have filtered into our everyday lives. Since their introduction in the 1800’s, they’ve changed the way we live, allowing for the development and pervasiveness of mobile electronic devices. As they are often concealed deep within our devices, it’s easy to forget they are even there at all. Until they need to be charged.

In this project, I explored the human battery interface; the way in which battery information and notifications effect interaction. Through user research, I attempted to gauge feelings toward the current state of battery information display on smartphones. Some participants who were selected for further study installed battery monitoring software on their devices and shared the resulting data. This data was then analyzed and usage patterns were extrapolated.

Example Graph

This interactive graph is a live example of the complex visual patterns seen in some of the data I collected. As it's generated in browser with javascript, it can be manipulated interactively.

Re-design

After surveying possible design openings along with current research and market solutions, a re-designed battery icon was selected for further exploration. The proposed redesign, which actively displays rate of battery drain was then created and tested.

The active slope on the redesigned icon gives the user a visual point of reference to objectively judge the current rate of discharge on their device. Adding the element of time by displaying past energy use gives each individual a deeper look into how their smartphone battery is effected by their activities and allows them to more intelligently plan future use.