Dropi

A portable speaker inspired by the playful shape of a droplet, with a curvy silhouette that reflects the motion of sound waves and gives the design a friendly and expressive character. Dropi turns the flow of music into a fun form you can hold, hang, set and enjoy.

Type: Consumer Electronics
Year: 2026
Materials: PLA, TPU, Resin
Process: Ideation, Sketching, 3D modeling, 3D printing

P00

The Problem

Sound · Interaction · Lifestyle

Most portable speakers chase sound performance, and forget the person holding them.

Existing portable speakers tend to be bulky, repetitive and locked into a single way of being used. They focus on audio performance while overlooking interaction and emotional connection, and rarely adapt to the way people actually move through a day , carrying, hanging, setting down, taking along.

Tension 01

Sound is solved, interaction is not.

Tension 02

One way of use, many situations.

Tension 03

Function without character or feeling.

How might we design a portable speaker that you can carry, hang or stand , and that feels playful and expressive while it does it?

P01

Inspiration

Droplet · Wave · Grille

The starting point was the water droplet , a soft, weighted form that already feels good in the hand. Around it, references to sound waves and radial speaker grilles shaped how the body should breathe, how it should move air, and how it should look while doing it.

P02

Ideation

Sketches · Form & interaction

Six early directions explored how the speaker could be carried, hung and set down , from a handle-led droplet, to a clamshell with diffused light, to faceted hanging shapes. Each sketch tested where the speaker, controls and ports would live, and how the silhouette could stay friendly and expressive.

Dropi ideation sketches, six directions exploring droplet, clamshell and faceted speaker forms with handles, controls and hanging loops — Hand sketches · Form, interaction & component layout

P03

Development

FDM iterations → Resin + TPU

The whole project centred on the internal structure , how the speaker, board, battery and ports fit inside a small droplet shell. Each FDM print revealed something to change , wall thickness, vent spacing, button placement. Supports in tight cavities were hard to clean and damaged the surface, so the final body moved to resin printing, with a TPU cover , flexible enough to bend open and access the internal components.

Dropi 3D printed prototype iterations in white and red, showing closed shell, ribbed grille and final port and button cutouts — 01 · FDM iterations · solid shell → ribbed grille → cut-outs for ports & controls

Dropi final printed prototype in mint green resin with pink TPU base, showing ribbed grille, port hatch and button cluster — 02 · Final prototype · resin body + TPU base, with hidden port hatch

P04

CAD

SolidWorks · Six views

The droplet was modelled in SolidWorks, resolving every face around the internal layout. Six views show the grille, side hatch, button cluster, port bay and internal ribbing that holds the speaker, board and battery in place.

Dropi CAD process sheet, six views of the droplet body showing grille, hatch, controls, ports and internal ribbing — SolidWorks · Body, hatch & internal layout

P05

Renders

KeyShot · Carry · Hang · Stand

One droplet, three ways to live with it.Carry it, hang it, set it on its stand.

Dropi speaker, three colorways: pink, blue and white, with hanging cords

Dropi blue speaker hanging on a pink hook above its matching pink stand

Dropi close-up showing button cluster, side hatch and speckled finish

Dropi underside view showing USB-C, USB-A and aux ports inside the hatch bay

Dropi exploded view, showing shell halves, internal ribbing, PCB, battery, speaker driver and TPU base

Dropi pink speaker clipped onto a black furry handbag with a blue carabiner

Dropi blue speaker hanging on a tennis court fence with a pink hook, racket leaning against a lattice wall

A droplet you can carry, hang and set down , sound shaped to fit your day.