Project Helios
The next generation of the EOS console family
An evolutionary leap for both form and function
Sometimes a product line needs to make a leap forward. That was were ETC’s EOS family of lighting consoles found themselves in 2018. Many units had been serving theaters for over a decade and continued to work well. But technology was evolving and many high-end programmers were ready for more.
The Legacy
The EOS console brand language was built on a somewhat disjointed evolution of features and materials. The functionality of the software and the layout of the control surface was a fairly linear and sensible. However, the product line had yet to achieve the visual poise that one would expect from a console that could cost as much as a luxury car (at the time) and control a state-of-the-art theater.
Visual Brand Language
Geometric | Modern | Precise
Capable elegance was what we wanted to project with our design as the product family moved into the future and began establishing a more decided brand language.
Ergonomic Studies
Console operators spend MANY hours at the desk programing, rehearsing, and refining a show. Ease of use and muscle memory is a huge factor in their daily life. Our team took this opportunity to assess what improvements could be made. We identified the following as our highest priorities of focus and areas for improvement.
Priorities:
Seated reach
Line of sight (to the stage)
Field of vision (for controls)
Opportunities:
Viewing/touching the screen through booth window
Moving and transporting the console
Early Mockups
This console would become the new flagship product for the EOS family. Because of this it represented a significant investment on the part of the company. Naturally, it was important to get early buy-in from the product managers and other stakeholders. That is a hard thing to do with pictures for something so touch oriented, especially since we were proposing some significant changes.
We put together a quick foam core mockup that allowed everyone involved to assess the scale and rough functionality of the console early in the project. This created confidence and team alignment prior to investing large amounts of design and engineering resources in our concept.
Weight and Functionality
Console weight and hardware would have a large affect on ergonomics. Knowing this, we built a wooden prototype to the target dimensions and partnered with our engineering team to source the hinges and other hardware that would affect the moving parts. We also secured weights within the box to simulate the final weight of the product.
This prototype allowed us to consider the resistance we would need in certain hinges for the screen and the accessory trays. It also helped us finalize the design of both the carrying points we designed into the end caps and the shipping case that we wanted to launch with the console.
Final Renderings
