Bat Eye
A thermo-hygrometer designed for the community
Featuring a trophy-like stance with a logo-derived silhouette, Bat Eye is a playful desktop gadget designed for the community.
Translating the iconic brand emblem into a functional gadget that embodies gaming values and community identity
Image Source: ROG Brandbook, Point.of
Background
Republic of Gamers (ROG) is a pioneer in the PC gaming segment, renowned for blending high performance with a bold, aggressive design language favoured by enthusiasts and the community alike.
Image Source: ROG Brandbook, Point.of
Since launching, the brand has imposed rather strict limitations on how the iconic emblem can be used, regulating size, colour variations and placement to carefully protect the admired brand.
Image Source: Republic of Gamers
The Objective
Present a trophy-like gadget that translates the iconic brand emblem into a functional desktop accessory to deliver real-time environmental metrics while strengthening user engagement.
Explorations
The process began by searching through applicable visual components and identifying creative boundaries within the strict design guidelines, working closely alongside the client's clear vision for the final product form.
Beyond Boundaries
While creative brand interpretations appear occasionally, they are mostly limited to graphics, media or exhibition displays.
Unconstrained by commercial production, the design took greater liberty to project gaming values and culture into the physical hardware.
The Idea
Inspired by basketball scoreboards, the concept retains the trophy-like motif, with the upper emblem featuring a low-poly geometry to evoke competitiveness, teamwork and victory.
Iteration I
In the initial exploration phase, several low- to high-fidelity prototypes were developed to validate the concept, guiding discussions on form factor, dimensions, hardware layout and production feasibility, particularly regarding the low-poly geometry, slogan, and segment display.
Iteration II
After thorough evaluation, the power source pivoted from integrated lithium-ion cells to replaceable AAA batteries at the client's request to simplify regulatory certification and safety testing.
The change fundamentally reshaped the physical hardware and established new development priorities, as the fixed-size battery format heavily dictates the internal structural layout, expands the base dimensions, and determines overall proportions.
Integrated Display
As discovered in the previous iteration, combining separate off-the-shelf displays and LED components added unnecessary assembly and QC complexity.
To improve consistency and enable future customisation, several integrated module designs featuring tactical-style negative displays were tested across the now expanded surface.
Battery Cover
With the addition of AAA batteries, an accessible cover became essential for routine product maintenance.
Instead of conventional plastic snap tabs, the design combines magnetic retention, structural ribs layout and polymer elasticity to deliver a seamless cover that maximises the non-slip surface.
The Design
In-Context visualisation via Vizcom
Translated Identity
Building on ROG’s established gaming presence, Bat Eye is a community-focused artifact that captures the brand’s iconic design language in a trophy-like thermo-hygrometer.
Anchored by a semi-transparent, low-poly interpretation of the Fearless Eye, the design displays real-time environmental measurements on a high-contrast negative LCD with capacitive touch backlighting.
Behind the Scenes
