AudioCube is a QR payment speaker designed specifically for shopkeepers and merchants across India. Unlike our primary competitors, whose devices are imported from China, AudioCube is entirely developed from scratch in India. It provides seamless payment notifications, integrates with a proprietary SaaS platform for transaction tracking, and offers comprehensive device management for financial institutions.

Overview

Problem Statement

Shopkeepers and merchants need a reliable, user-friendly way to manage digital payments, especially in high-traffic environments. Existing products in the market are often imported, lack customization options, and come with limited support for large-scale monitoring by financial bodies. The challenge was to design a domestic solution that offers superior integration with financial services and provides real-time device tracking, while maintaining user simplicity and product affordability.

"A Made in India QR payment speaker combined with a SaaS platform, enabling financial institutions to monitor devices and transactions in real-time. AudioCube not only provides shopkeepers with voice-based payment confirmations but also offers a holistic management system for financial bodies, ensuring visibility into transaction histories, device health, and user activities."

16 Months(Not to scale)

Product teardowns from Paytm, Gpay and Bharatpe

Device Ideations

Performed market product study through teardown analysis of competitor products like Paytm and GPay’s QR payment speakers to understand their core electronics, mechanical parts, and manufacturing processes. This research informed the design of AudioCube, helping us identify opportunities for improvement in durability, customization, and local manufacturing.

• Focused on durability, compactness, and ease of use for shopkeepers with high foot traffic.

• Prioritized speaker quality, clear audio notifications, and long battery life.

• Collaborated with manufacturing partners to ensure the product meets Indian conditions, unlike imported alternatives.

Physical Design

Project Timeline

Rough visual presentation of the whole timeline from brief to launch

Competitor Landscape

Competitors like Paytm and GPay offer similar QR payment speakers, but their devices are imported from China and lack the customization and SaaS integration that AudioCube provides. Emphasize the Made in India advantage and the ability to customize both physical and digital products for local needs.

Product Definitions

Prototyping

• The early prototypes were 3D-printed using SLA & MJF technology, which allowed us to quickly test the form factor and refine the overall product structure.

• After receiving feedback from users regarding the size, weight, and feel of the device, we moved to vacuum-cast prototypes. These were closer to production materials.

• With feedback from merchants using the prototypes in noisy shop environments, the team worked closely with acoustic engineers to enhance the audio output quality. Adjustments were made to the speaker design, internal sound chambers, and amplification system to ensure loud, clear, and timely announcements of payment confirmations.

• Once the product design was validated through prototypes and user feedback, we transitioned to mass production by developing injection molds for the final product.

Digital Design

• Designed an intuitive SaaS platform that provides financial institutions with access to device status, transaction tracking, and user analytics.

• Created dashboards with real-time data visualizations and reporting tools to track performance across thousands of devices.

• Focused on ensuring seamless device registration, health tracking, and maintenance notifications for financial institutions.

UI Elements:

Packaging Design

• Packaging Size Selection: Focused on optimizing the size for both cost-efficiency and ease of handling, ensuring the packaging could fit multiple units for large-scale distribution.

• Internal Layout: Developed a protective internal layout to securely hold the AudioCube device, charger, and user manual, minimizing movement during transport and reducing the risk of damage.

• Material Selection: Selected eco-friendly, durable materials that would protect the product while being cost-effective for mass production.

• Graphics & User Manual: Designed packaging graphics and the user manual according to Bank of Baroda guidelines, ensuring compliance with their branding and regulatory requirements. This included clear instructions and customer support details for shopkeepers and merchants.

Impact & Results:

• Proxgy generated a revenue of ₹2 Crores in FY 2022-23 from the sale of AudioCube, showcasing its success in the competitive market.

• Successfully deployed AudioCube to financial institutions across India, with thousands of devices in use by shopkeepers and merchants.

• Reduced reliance on imported devices, fostering local manufacturing and development.

• Improved transaction tracking and device management for financial institutions, enhancing customer service and operational efficiency.

*Live stats of 29.08.2024

Learnings:

This project reinforced the importance of designing products that blend physical and digital aspects seamlessly. By leading the design of both the AudioCube hardware and the SaaS platform, I learned how to balance the needs of end-users (shopkeepers) with those of the stakeholders (financial bodies) while maintaining a high level of product integrity and innovation.

Tools & Technologies

• Tools: Miro, Confluence, Figma, SolidWorks, Keyshot, Sketchbook

• Technologies: IoT integration, cloud-based SaaS platform, payment gateway APIs

Thank you!