Our world today is filled with so many devices and gadgets that even kids start using them at a young age. While it does help them become more connected to a vast trove of knowledge, they also become more accustomed to technology to the detriment of other parts of the world around them. Nature can sometimes be alien to them and sometimes even boring, especially when they can’t take those objects and experiences with them like they can with smartphones and tablets.
It doesn’t have to be an either-or situation where the embrace of technology is mutually exclusive to enjoying the richness of nature. All it takes is some creative thinking to blend these two worlds together in harmony. This concept for a kid-oriented device, for example, uses the very same technologies that enchant and entertain children to spark their curiosity about nature and continue their learning journey at home.
Designers: Hayeon Cho, Jihye Choi, Park Minji, Jiyoung Yun
Nolly is admittedly a difficult design to describe based on appearances alone. It is part projector, part scanner, and part interactive screen, all designed in smooth organic shapes and a pastel green color scheme that makes them look like parts of a plant. The wall-mounted projector, in particular, looks like a growing sprout, especially with its cable looking like a stem attached to a base that acts as its roots.
The bell-shaped scanner is called a stamp, though what it really does is collect images of plants, flowers, and small animals that kids see in the wild during their time in the outside world. Coming back home, they place the stamp down in the middle of a disc “palette” that will read the information from the stamp and display pictures of the foliage the child has taken throughout the day. This gives them the opportunity to revisit those discoveries and maybe even learn more about them.
The projector can also be used to display a selected plant on the floor or the wall across it, creating an interactive canvas for the child to enjoy. Using image inpainting technologies, it turns static 2D pictures of plants and flowers into moving graphics that kids can try to touch or step on, causing petals and leaves to burst and scatter around. Although real-world plants don’t behave this way, this virtual experience imprints on the child’s mind the idea of nature being alive in more ways than one.
The post first appeared on .
Related Posts
