Mute is a noise-masking speaker aimed the the "boomerang" generation of young adults living with their parents. 

Speech privacy is the number one pain point that young adults are experiencing in their parent's house. Interviewees reported that the bathroom had the best privacy, primarily due to the noise of running water.

The Mute speaker's volume control mimics the interaction of a bathroom tap as a simple semiotic trigger to create a portable privacy solution throughout the home of Mum and Dad.

The speaker functions as a regular Bluetooth speaker as well as playing a range of noise-masking sounds by default. A static graphic on the spout switch indicates that the device is in noise-masking mode. The tap lever can be turned left or right to select the desired sound or to rewind and skip songs.

My sketching and iterative process through the use of card models allowed me to explore a wide range of possible forms.

The product was designed for disassembly so that parts can be recycled and/or fixed. Materials were chosen consciously based on their impact on the environment. A cork base is used as an alternative to silicone and the fabric is produced utilising a process that uses 80 to 95 per cent less water.

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