Xtreme is a startup company with an ambitious mission. In mid-October 2008, Xtreme approached Chemistry with just a working circuit board embedded with their proprietary digital signal processing (DSP) technology in hand. Their grand plan was to turn this into a Bluetooth headset, to be shown at the Consumer Electronics Show 2009 in January. This required Chemistry to design and realise the Bluetooth headset as a working prototype within a tight time frame of only 2 months.

Chemistry’s approach to product design questions the fundamentals of the object itself. This is substantiated by extensive consumer research which led to the identification that a good fit on the ear was a bane with products in the category. This realisation formed the platform on which design concepts were built upon. The result was a headset that could be worn across the ear, instead of the typical headset which is attached from the ear canal along the jaw. This created an opportunity for a unique design that differentiates not only the physical product but also the user wearing the product.

To achieve an across-the-ear design that fits securely on the ear required the introduction of a sliding earpiece that adapts to different ears. A soft rubber hook that catches the back of the ear works together with this sliding earpiece to secure the headset firmly to the ear.

A striking red chrome element runs across the body of the headset, serving as an intuitive tactile guide for the touch sensor controls. The oversized black gloss top plate hides the secondary volume of the body, minimising visual mass when worn on the ear. The luxurious finishes applied on the product draws references to fashion accessories, adorning the user with a chic rather than geek look.

The nature of the product and its close relationship to the human anatomy meant that countless experimental models had to be made to ensure that ergonomics and human factors were thoroughly researched and well defined. As Chemistry creative director, Bassam Jabry shares, “With the clock ticking, we decided to take a hands-on approach where we would cut rough foam mockups of each concept. This allowed us and the client to quickly evaluate the merits of each idea."

Concurrently, Chemistry worked on developing a cohesive corporate identity that could be applied not just to the product but also to its packaging, collaterals, website and in-store displays.

Chemistry understood that Xtreme’s corporate identity needed to be focused around the innovative union of technology and user experience, with a strong emphasis on the capabilities of their DSP technology. Through thorough research of technological brands, Chemistry explored a large bandwidth of options before zeroing in on a humanising direction. This less somber and approachable visual style sets Xtreme apart from other hi-tech and IT related identities.

Chemistry’s work did not stop after the design phase. The team worked directly with various key suppliers and engineers, knocking out many iterations of the working prototype before arriving at the final version. "Where the design ends is when the fun ends and the real work starts. It is here that you start to deal with reality by challenging engineers in endless back and forths, picking on a plethora of details – all for the sake of maintaining the design’s intent and ensuring the quality of the final working prototype.” describes Chemistry industrial designer, John Chan.

Chemistry’s final act was to prepare Xtreme for the big show. Leveraging on the clearly defined identity, the necessary communication materials for participation in the CES such as visualisations and product animations were delivered to ensure that the impact Xtreme had at CES was maximised.