PlayPal
by Gia Linh Au
PlayPal – an interactive toy for nonverbal autistic children.
Project Description
Toys are crucial for children's development, especially for autistic children. Despite the recent expansion of the toy market, there's still a significant gap in providing toys that meet the unique needs of autistic children, such as communication and social interaction. As a result, autistic children may not receive the full range of benefits that purposefully designed toys can offer.
Enter PlayPal, an interactive toy that shows promise as a solution. It offers two modes, one focused on learning and the other on playing, specifically designed to meet the communication and social interaction needs of autistic children. The vocabulary used is based on the most essential Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) vocabulary. AAC systems provide nonverbal autistic children with alternative communication methods, like symbols or text, enabling effective expression and serving as their primary means of communication in school to support language development.
In its learning mode, PlayPal engages children through physical sensor blocks, contributing to vocabulary acquisition. The interaction is enriched by dynamic visual and audio responses that respond to a child's actions, enhancing engagement. In the playing mode, a block-finding game allows children to test their vocabulary memory and improve social interaction skills by interpreting social cues, such as expressions of emotions or motion. For instance, incorrect answers trigger a sad facial expression and a friendly "try again" accompanied by a playful body shake.
A demonstration of how to use PlayPal's features in context.
Detail of PlayPal’s storage – easy to store and manage all physical sensor blocks.
Exploded view of what’s inside PlayPal.
PlayPal’s Appearance Model
Bio
Passionate about design, Gia Linh thrives on blending aesthetics with practicality. Her design journey is fuelled by a love for transforming ideas into tangible solutions that enhance daily life. With a specialisation in Product Design, she employs sketches, 3D models, renderings, and prototypes as her creative language, effectively carrying design concepts through to production. She believes in the power of visual storytelling to inspire and communicate ideas. During her academic journey, handling multiple projects concurrently and meeting deadlines is a strength she takes pride in. She is also deeply rooted in user-centred design principles, making sure that her work aligns with the needs and desires of users. Beyond design, she has a keen interest in taking pictures and videos to capture and express the beauty of the world around her.
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