"Laptop Tray." Rhino 3D and CNC Router. 2017.
In the research phase of this project, I began to recall the special dinners my family shared in the theater room of our house. Instead of having a formal dining room meal, every few weeks we would gather in front of the television to watch a show or movie, while we ate on TV trays. These nights were especially exciting for my younger sister and I, as it was a break in routine from our typically formal dinners.
This memory lead me to study the way I have my current college dinners: either gathering in the dining room with my friends or sitting with my laptop at my desk. I then realized I had been forming my own version of our TV dinners from home.
I decided to design a product that enhanced the experience of my “new” TV dinners, creating a tray that covers a laptop keyboard. The tray serves to give users more room on their desk or workspace when viewing content that does not require the use of a keyboard. Sliding easily over the keyboard, without obstructing ports or sound, the product functions as a secondary surface on which to work. For example, one could take notes directly in front of the screen while reading or watching a video, freeing desk space for other articles. The tray also features two removable sections that become a sort of placemat and coaster, and thus creates shallow storage recesses on the surface.
I used Rhinoceros 3D modeling software to produce the design of the Laptop Tray and a CNC Router to make a physical prototype.