Durable Learning Kit for Adults

September 2024 - December 2024 | Design Thinking & Communication I
Designed and built an interactive learning kit for adults with developmental disabilities, featuring a geography-themed navigation course and a durable, user-centered design for use with an educational robot kit.

Problem Exploration and Ideation

Our client provided a robotics learning kit and asked us to create a more engaging environment for its use. After researching the problem, we generated over 100 ideas and built low-fidelity mock-ups for user testing. Based on feedback, we selected a leading concept, created detailed sketches, and established a materials list for prototyping.

Shape Collection Mock-up

Magnetic Plane Mock-up

Ramp Mock-up

Texture Cube Mock-up

Initial Sketches of Leading Design Concept

Building and Testing

Mockup of Leading Design Concept

Our leading concept was a geography-themed expansion pack for the provided robotics kit. Building on successful mock-ups, we used a magnetic plane that launches from a ramp onto a “sky platform” mounted on the robot base, allowing it to “fly” over continents and teach geography. We laser-cut acrylic and wood components to construct the ramp, platform, and map insert, and designed a custom adapter to integrate the magnetic plane with the robotics kit.

Ramp Reinforcements

Acrylic Ramp Bonding

Acrylic Box Bonding

Map Insert

Results

Despite challenges with acrylic bonding, we built a structurally stable prototype that integrated smoothly with the robotics kit. We documented our process in a 70-page report covering research, testing, and design insights. Our project was presented at Northwestern’s Design Expo, where it was named “Best Execution and Design” by our judge and featured in Northwestern’s engineering magazine.

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