Gold Audio and Sound Equipment Design · 2020
Tektronix 5 Series MSO Oscilloscope
by Tactile and Tektronix Design Teams
- A' Design Award 2020 Gold Winner in Audio and Sound Equipment Design
- Awarded April 15, 2020
- CLIENT: Tactile
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 35,584
- Verification code B3F47E80B8 · Verify this award
About Tektronix 5 Series MSO Oscilloscope
Tektronix 5 Series MSO is a mixed signal oscilloscope designed for touch operation. The instrument is used to observe changes in electrical signals. A 15.6-inch high definition display allows most functions to be performed on screen, so the number of knobs and buttons is reduced. The remaining controls give haptic feedback. The user interface provides touch input, visual and statistical feedback, and contextual problem solving. Locking foldable feet allow the viewing angle to be adjusted and held in place.
Tactile Design Teams's Oscilloscope represents a distinguished achievement within the continuum of professional electronic instrumentation design, embodying the contemporary synthesis of high-performance measurement capability with refined industrial aesthetic sensibility that characterizes the finest examples of twenty-first century technical equipment, the work demonstrates remarkable facility in resolving the inherent tension between complex functional requirements and visual coherence, achieving a compositional unity that elevates utilitarian apparatus to the status of considered design object, the pristine white housing establishes an architectural framework that organizes diverse interface elements including the expansive display panel, modular input system, and comprehensive control array into a legible visual hierarchy, the designer's attention to chromatic restraint proves particularly noteworthy, with the neutral palette punctuated by strategic accent elements including the distinctive cyan carrying handle that functions simultaneously as ergonomic provision, brand identifier, and compositional crown, the waveform traces visible on screen suggest the instrument's capacity for revealing otherwise invisible electronic phenomena, transforming abstract signal data into visual patterns of considerable aesthetic interest, material choices communicate professional grade quality through the integration of engineered polymers, precision metalwork, and optical-quality display technology, the contextual staging upon natural wood with accompanying circuit board creates meaningful narrative about the instrument's application within electronics development and diagnostic environments, inviting consideration of how designed objects mediate between human intention and technological complexity, one might contemplate how this synthesis of precision engineering and visual refinement serves practitioners who depend upon such instruments for exacting analytical work, and how thoughtful design transforms technical necessity into objects worthy of sustained visual attention.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The first oscilloscope designed for touch from the ground up, the Tektronix 5 Series Mixed Signal Oscilloscope (MSO) features multiple patent-pending design elements offering a revolutionary experience with unparalleled digital visibility. An enhanced user interface provides intuitive touch input, visual and statistical feedback, and improved contextual problem-solving. With a 15.6-inch HD display, 5 Series MSO allows most functions to be performed on screen, minimizing knobs and buttons.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Width 454 mm x Depth 204 mm x Height 309 mm
- Tags
- Industrial Design, Product Design, User Interface Design, User Experience Design, Interaction Design, Tektronix, Tactile Inc., Tektronix 5 Series MSO, Oscilloscope
- Production Technology
- The new 15.6-inch HD display allows most functions to be performed on screen, minimizing knobs and buttons. The limited knobs and buttons offer haptic feedback interaction without interrupting the user flow of typical access points. Unique to the 5 Series MSO and an industry first, are the locking foldable feet (patent-pending) that give users more viewing angle flexibility by making simple adjustments to the feet and then locking them into place.
- Design Challenge
- Since scientists, engineers, and technicians are using test and measurement equipment to observe the change of electrical signals, they heavily rely on performance accuracy, speed, and ease of use. The design team was challenged with developing a long-lasting oscilloscope that would live for 10+ years, a typical oscilloscope lifespan.
- Project Duration
- The project was designed in September 2016 in Seattle, Washington, USA and produced in September 2017 in Beaverton, Oregon, USA.
- Operation Flow
- A seamless solution blending the new hardware and software, the 5 Series MSO uses panel controls, or mouse to analyze and manage multiple signals. The design team created a user interface providing intuitive touch input, visual and statistical feedback, and improved contextual problem-solving. Operating a highly technical machine can be overwhelmingly complex. The 5 Series MSO offers engineers a dramatic improvement in usability.
- Research
- In collaboration with Tektronix, the design team traveled all around the US and to five countries to research and understand the user experience. The team identified core design traits based on their research: approachable and easy; trustworthy and durable; and powerful and precise. Collaborative prototyping and user testing were critical in developing the information architecture (IA), user experience (UX), user interface (UI), and industrial design.
- Inspiration
- A leader in the design and manufacturing test and measurement equipment industry, Tektronix wanted to elevate their oscilloscope product line. The main objective was to create a next-generation, approachable usability solution while retaining an appropriate amount of Tektronix heritage. Since scientists, engineers, and technicians are using test and measurement equipment to observe the change of electrical signals, they heavily rely on performance accuracy, speed, and ease of use.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: Designer, Tektronix 5 Series MSO, 2017
Image #2: Designer, Tektronix 5 Series MSO, 2017
Image #3: Designer, Tektronix 5 Series MSO, 2017
Image #4: Designer, Tektronix 5 Series MSO, 2017
Image #5: Designer, Tektronix 5 Series MSO, 2017 - Patents
- Patented and patent-pending design details.
Colors of Tektronix 5 Series MSO Oscilloscope
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