I am not a product designer.
I am a tinkerer and an engineer at heart, so when I design things I aim for easy to build and functional. And that’s exactly how TheCube started: not with a master plan or market research, but with an idea, a sensor, and a square screen.
It Started with a Problem
Like a lot of us, I spend way too much time at my desk without moving. I’d seen some of those “AI desk buddies” that claim to be smart companions—but most of them are gimmicks. I thought: what would a real desk companion be like? Something that noticed when you’ve been sitting too long. Something that gently reminds you to get up. Something that actually reacts when you do. That’s when the mmWave presence sensor entered the chat.
But a presence sensor alone wasn’t enough. I didn’t want a device that just beeped at you like a smoke alarm. I wanted something that could show expression, be playful, maybe even a little weird. That meant a screen. And so I started browsing.
Square Peg, Square Hole
I came across a square LCD on Waveshare, and that changed everything. Square screen? Alright, let’s design a housing around that. And what better shape to put a square screen in… than a square. Or rather, a cube.
From there, it snowballed. Straight lines are a dream in CAD. Parallel faces are easy to 3D print. And when you’re working on early prototypes, the fewer design headaches the better. The cube made that possible. Even as I started moving toward injection molding and had to account for draft angles and tolerances, the cube—with its straight sides and right angles—remained practical.
More Than Just a Box
Sure, a cube is easy to work with, but that’s not the only reason I stuck with it. It’s also memorable. Think about the devices on your desk. Most of them are rounded rectangles—curvy, sleek, minimal. But none of them are cubes. None of them really stand out.
I wanted TheCube to be something you noticed. Something you remembered. Like the Flipper Zero—it’s iconic not just because of what it does, but because of how it looks. That odd shape sticks with you. I want TheCube to be like that. Unique. Recognizable. A presence.
And cubes are fun. Think LEGO. You can stack them. Build with them. Make something that’s yours. That led to the idea of toppers, stackable add-ons, and even TheMiniCube—smaller companions that could sit on top, interact, and become part of your own customized ecosystem. TheCube isn’t just a device; it’s a platform.
Form Follows Feel
There’s a character named TheCube—a smiling little face on one side of the screen. It’s meant to feel like your buddy, not just a tool. Other characters will follow, but the whole idea is that this thing is yours. You can change how it looks, how it behaves, what it responds to. The physical form reflects that same idea. It’s solid. Customizable. Approachable.
And yeah, I want people to ask, “What is that?” when they see it on your desk. I want them to be curious. Then, I want them to realize it’s not just cute—it’s useful. It plays games. It reads your email. It reminds you to stand up, drink water, and maybe play a little DOOM during your lunch break.
Not Sleek, and That’s the Point
Some people might ask, “Why not make it more curved, more ergonomic, more… Apple-like?” And I get it. Sleek sells. But also: sleek blends in. Sleek is forgettable.
How many sleek, curved gadgets do you remember by name? How many of them stick in your mind after you’ve seen one? I want TheCube to be the opposite of that. I want it to stand out. To look different. To feel like it belongs on your desk because it doesn’t look like everything else.
Would I Do It Again?
Absolutely.
The shape works. The character works. The whole idea works. I didn’t start with a name or a brand or a shape—I started with a problem I wanted to solve, and the cube evolved from that. The name “TheCube” came later, and honestly, it just made too much sense not to use it.
If I started over today, I’d still build a cube.
Because when you think inside the box, sometimes you find something unexpected.
Why TheCube is a cube...