Made By Makers helped Onics develop a motion sensor designed to become a central part of almost any smart home setup, sensing movement, light, and temperature. The challenge was to create a product that could live in people’s homes for many years and seamlessly fit into different interiors while having an iconic visual identity to differentiate itself in an increasingly crowded market.
At the same time, the goal was to establish a strong, long-lasting design DNA for future Onics products. By defining clear building blocks of form, proportion, mounting and assembly principles, and CMF, the design should create a scalable visual language that could inspire and guide the development of the future Onics product portfolio.
Our role
Our role was to establish a strong and iconic visual identity for the sensor while ensuring that its physical interaction and installation were equally considered. We ensured the design DNA of the motion sensor could function as a foundation for future designs of a larger Onics product family. We developed practical features including an intuitive open-and-close mechanism and a versatile corner mount, allowing the sensor to be positioned in locations that would otherwise be difficult to access.
Process
The design process began with expert interviews to understand how people perceive sensors and electronic devices in their homes, and what makes them feel either intrusive or naturally integrated. We then explored a broad range of aesthetic directions and visual universes to identify the right balance between Onics’ brand identity, functionality and the diverse environments in which the sensor would live.
Result
The result is a distinctive yet calm and unobtrusive product identity. The sensor combines an iconic visual expression with a minimalistic form designed to integrate naturally into the home. The shape is an extruded squircle with a concave funnel empathizing the PIR sensor. A discreet debossed circle marks the transition from the flat top surface and the concavity.Over the years, the product has proven its broad appeal, attracting users across international markets and finding its way into both private homes and professional environments. The design DNA of the motion sensor became a foundational design principle for almost all subsequent Onics products, ensuring a strong and consistent brand identity across the entire product range.
Client
Onics delivers comprehensive B2B IoT solutions, providing the hardware, software, and cloud platforms that power smart home, energy management, and healthcare technologies. They specialize in white-label devices -including gateways, sensors, and smart plugs - allowing businesses to seamlessly brand and deploy their own connected solutions.
