top of page
CONNECT
Child Communication Device
Connect is a distraction free communication device that addresses online privacy and content issues while allowing children to stay in contact with loved ones.
Disciplines:
Industrial design
3D visualization
UX/UI
Time:
Winter 2024 - 5 weeks
Credits:
Arunas Oslapas - Mentor
53% of kids in the U.S. today have smartphones by the age of 11
PROBLEM STATEMENT
The number of smartphones among children is exponentially increasing. However, research indicates that children using smartphones face a heightened risk of developing addictive behaviors, anxiety, diminished motivation, and potential eyesight issues.
RESEARCH
Statistics from the Pew Research Center, MMGuardian, and National Library of Medicine.
Takes too much time
71% of US parents ages 11 or younger are concerned that smartphones will hurt their social skills and development
Expensive
Over 671 million children under 5 years old have their own smartphone worldwide
Strict eating diet
83% of parents said they allowed their kids to use a phone so they may keep in constant contact.
FINDING OPPORTUNITY
Parents express apprehension about exposing their children to the internet, citing concerns related to inappropriate content, privacy issues, and various online safety risks.
How can we provide peace of mind to parents, while giving children a safe and engaging introduction to technology?
QUOTES
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Current child communication devices are divided into 4 categories; wearables, restricted smartphones, flip phones, and screen-free communication devices.
While smartwatches present a playful means of child communication, parents express concern about their susceptibility to damage during playtime.
Mitigate distractions by removing problematic apps and features, yet parents may find their size, screen, and cost unjustified due to the limited features.
Encompass essential functions like texting and calling, but drawbacks such as a quirky keyboard, challenging customer support, unremovable apps like YouTube, lack of GPS locator, and non-alignment with the modern cellular ecosystem may deter parents.
Offer discreet communication but rely entirely on calls, lacking the ability to display or store information. Each communication device for children has its strengths and weaknesses, requiring parents to weigh the options based on their priorities and concerns.
PARENT COMMUNICATION PRIORITIES
After research from surveys, interviews, news articles, and public forums, I was able to narrow down the most important features parents consider in a children’s communication device
Ability to convey information in real-time; calling
Able to leave a message for either the child or parent if they’re not readily available; texting.
Able to locate the child for peace of mind and allow the child to navigate to key locations.
How intuitive/easy the setup and usage of the device are.
Whether or not the device can deal with the active usage of child interaction without breaking or coming apart.
Minimal distractions on the device (limited web and social app access) and little to no games.
CHILDREN'S HABIT
To create a device tailored to children it was important to identify common habits that could give me insight into possible designs.
Unaware of the physical location of personal belongings
Children can be rough with their items (accidental drops and spills are common).
Children have a variety of personal preferences (ex; necklace, bracelet, keychain) that change consistently. Furthermore, customization fosters a sense of ownership for children.
Incorporating audio, visual, and tactile elements could enhance the child’s engagement.
Children have a shorter attention span, so a simple and engaging interface could help maintain their interest and consistency when interacting with the device.
Icon-based navigation allows children who aren’t proficient readers to easily navigate through the device.
CHILDREN'S ENVIRONMENT
It was essential to recognize various settings where children engage in work, play, and reside, as the device could be subjected to environmental factors that might affect its functionality
Classroom: A focused learning environment for children, minimizing the need for device communication due to their immersive educational activities.
Playground: An active setting with various elements such as dirt, wood chips, and sand. Playful interactions may involve movement that poses a risk to devices.
Nature: Children engage in outdoor activities like splashing in puddles or playing in the dirt, exposing devices to potential damage from dirt, moisture, and scratches.
Home: A comfortable and familiar setting for children, typically controlled for external factors. However, the presence of pets in some households may pose a potential risk to the device.
DESIGN CRITERIA
Inviting
Inviting form that encourages interaction between the user and the device.
Intuitive
Simple technology and function that is easy to interact with.
Portable
Compact size to allow for ease of carry & storage.
Form & Color Inspiration
Subtle form that integrates soft colors & materials to provided soothing interaction with visual accents to guided interaction
CONNECT
Safe communication between child and parent
Quick sketching centered around devices that would be simple to use and would carry the necessary parental technology features.
Sketch models provided crucial physical, visual, and ergonomic feedback which was helpful when refine form, proportions and tactile features.
Physical ideation lead me to 3 main attachment options
Wrist
Allows the user to interact with the device without the risk of it falling out of their hand.
Neck
The device can be worn around the neck for interaction or transportation.
Gear Loop
Can be attached to a belt or backpack loops for carrying around.
Technology Architecture
The examination of current children’s communication devices through teardown gave me insight into the crucial component configuration of similar products on the market. This investigation involved creating preliminary 3D printed mock-ups, illustrating potential shapes and components designed to house the technology
The release button located on the back allows for flexibility to swap from the four different types of attachments
Interchangeable Attachment
This allows each child to choose the best attachment for their interaction, storage, and transportation needs. Options included; plain, keychain, wrist, or necklace loop.
Magnetic Charging
The magnetic connectors not only easier to plug in & out, thereby mitigating the risk of wear and tear on the device’s port over time.
MATERIALS
To appeal to parents purchasing this device for their children, it’s essential that the materials strike a balance between cost and durability, ensuring a favorable cost-to-durability ratio.
CHILD UI DEVELOPMENT
Wire framing the app walk-through allowed me to organize the features and alerts that would be pertinent to the device’s interface.
.png)
PARENT UI DEVELOPMENT
Wire-framing brainstorming what the parents could control and how it could be organized so that it would be easy to edit for the child’s use was pertinent to the app’s layout on the parent’s phone.
bottom of page