A Guaranteed-Win Lucky Slot Machine
The Lucky Box is an interactive object that redefines luck as a conscious choice rather than random chance. Developed to explore how intention becomes action, it uses a mechanical slot-machine interface to turn abstract belief into a tangible ritual and observable behavior.
My work focused on designing embodied interactions that shape user mindset and choices through ritualistic physical input. I researched the psychology of serendipity to define behavioral hypotheses, engineered the physical computing system to deliver consistent tactile feedback, and crafted the overall experience to support a positive, reflective emotional state.
Through physical prototyping, interaction design, and user testing, I contributed to building a system that prioritizes proactive agency and positive reinforcement, while examining how micro-interactions can influence decision-making in everyday moments.
MY ROLE
Physical Interaction Designer
Skills
Concept Development
Tangible Interaction Design
Physical Computing (Arduino)
3D Modeling & Fabrication
Team
Personal Project
Timeline
March 2023 - June 2023
01 | overview
Key highlights
Perceptions of luck are often shaped by the belief that it is random or reserved for a few, which can lead to passivity in everyday life. Abstract ideas like hope and opportunity feel distant and intangible, making it harder to practice a proactive mindset or recognize how preparation influences outcomes.
The Lucky Box translates this psychology into an interactive experience by turning “hope” into a tangible ritual. By inviting users to physically pull for an opportunity, the object reframes luck as a conscious choice—shifting the experience from passive waiting to deliberate action and confidence.
No risk, Just reward
Luck Psychology
From superstitions to probability, The Lucky Box explores why we believe luck can be “triggered.” By turning belief into an experience, it reframes luck as a designed moment—felt instantly and remembered longer.
Make it physical
Physical Interaction
Not a screen—an object you touch, pull, and commit to. One simple action turns anticipation into payoff in a continuous flow, making the “luck moment” tangible.
Lose the fear of failure
Arduino-Driven System
Powered by Arduino-based sensing and control, the box detects the user’s input and triggers a predictable outcome. The system stays intentionally minimal—so the experience feels magical, not technical.
02 | concept
background
Starting with the question, “Have you ever felt luck is only given to the chosen?” I looked at what people do when outcomes feel uncontrollable. Symbols, rituals, and everyday “luck” practices aren’t irrational—they’re practical ways of restoring agency under uncertainty.
This research led to two threads: the psychological mechanisms that make luck feel real (self-deception, self-efficacy, rituals) and the cultural forms that make luck visible (clover, lottery, saju, horoscope). Based on these insights, I created The Lucky Box—a tangible, interactive ritual that turns invisible hope into a physical moment you can trigger and hold.
Mechanisms of luck
Luck isn’t random—it’s constructed through how we interpret and act. Here, I introduce a few core mechanisms, starting with self-deception, self-efficacy, and rituals, which make uncertainty feel manageable.
Self-deception
Repeated narratives become “truth” and shape choices.
Self-efficacy
Belief boosts action and persistence. (Bandura)
Rituals
Order reduces anxiety and improves performance. (Malinowski)
Placebo
Expectation can produce measurable effects.
cultural expressions of luck
These drivers appear in everyday culture as small, repeatable objects and habits. From clovers and lottery tickets to sajuand horoscopes, people externalize uncertainty into rituals they can carry, repeat, and trust.
Clover
A pocket symbol for protection
in uncertainty. (Korea)
Lottery
A small ritualized bet on chance. (Korea)
Saju
Life read as a system to reduce uncertainty. (China)
Horoscope
Simple explanations when causality feels unclear.
Eagle
Symbol of courage and protection. (Mongolia)
Pig
Prosperity translated into “luck.” (Germany/Austria)
Dung dream
Re-labeling discomfort into anticipation. (Korea)
Synthesizing these psychological needs and cultural habits, I defined the core design challenge:
💭 How might we materialize abstract beliefs like hope into tangible, interactive rituals that empower everyday decision-making?
Ideation
I began by prototyping familiar formats of “luck”: a rigged lottery ticket, a fortune-telling site that only predicts success, and a slot-machine concept. Each was playful, but the experience still felt incomplete.
On a screen, luck stayed flat. I realized the thrill comes from physical resistance—the tension of scratching a card, the weight of pulling a lever, and the moment your body commits before the outcome appears.
That insight shifted the direction. I kept the slot machine’s iconic interaction, but made one rule: it had to be real.
…A slot machine that wins 100% of the time?
03 | development
Interaction Mechanism
Box design development
Sketching was the point where the idea became physical. I translated the iconic pull of a slot machine into components—lever input, rotational reels, and internal control—mapping how a single gesture would trigger a guaranteed outcome. Rather than aiming for a final design, these sketches helped surface practical questions: motor speed, mounting methods, and how to hide mechanical certainty behind the appearance of chance. The focus shifted from form to feasibility, using drawing as a way to think through interaction, structure, and control simultaneously.
To validate the design at real scale, I locked in the dimensions and moved from sketches to quick 3D modeling. I then tested the form and internal spacing through multiple rounds of lightweight mockups using cardboard and styrofoam, iterating quickly on proportions, visibility, and how the reels could be mounted securely inside the box. This process clarified what would actually fit, what would feel stable in the hand, and where the “mechanical certainty” could be hidden while still reading as chance on the surface.
As a result, I finalized a concept direction that keeps the exterior intentionally minimal so the focus stays on the idea: luck isn’t granted, it’s activated through action, and it can be designed and regulated. I treated the box as a neutral frame, then concentrated visual energy where the “luck moment” happens. The reels inside and the pull handle were defined as the only expressive elements, using vivid, saturated colors to make the controlled jackpot feel surprisingly alive.
Motor Control Development
모터 실험 설명 (성공 사례, 실패 사례 gif)
04 | final outcome
final prototype
I assembled the enclosure and internal mounts, then integrated the Arduino wiring with motor drivers and two stepper motors. After iterative tuning of timing and alignment, the reels reliably land on the intended “jackpot” position while preserving the tactile weight of the pull.
Exploded View
If you look closer, the Lucky Box is built as a simple layered structure. The top holds the user interaction (handle and joystick), the middle contains the reels and stepper motors, and the base houses the Arduino and wiring that drives the motion. To keep the exterior visually minimal, I packed and routed the wiring tightly inside the box so everything stays hidden from view.
technical structure
Here’s how the wiring is laid out. The Lucky Box runs on a simple input-to-motion loop: a joystick provides the user’s command, which the Arduino Uno interprets and converts into step pulses for the motor drivers. Two stepper motors then rotate the reels to predetermined positions, allowing the “chance” on the surface to be precisely controlled underneath.
Joystick
Bread Board
Motor Driver
2 Stepper Motors
Arduino Uno
How It Works
Body (로직 다이어그램)
05 | Validation
what i learned
Body