O-Buddies
Accessible Toy Design
I filled my senior studio at Georgia Tech working on a design project sponsored by the children's brand Kids II. Play is so important to the cognitive and physical development of children, and toys are often the best way to stimulate that growth. The design brief emphasized exploring current needs to create a toy for toddlers that is universally enjoyed and usable, no matter the child's capability.
Children with disabilities grow, play, and develop differently than the average child and often have special needs that must be catered to in order to be comfortable. Designing too specifically for these needs can lead to isolation which can be just as detrimental as discomfort over the long term. Our goal was to iterate upon current toys and technology to develop a toy for that helps toddlers of all abilities achieve developmental milestones through unique interaction and play.
 StackabilityThe Bubbles can be stacked on each other and support their own weight. |  Internal Component LayoutOutput components like lights and speaker are arranged close to the outside of the bubble, while the heavier micro-controller and battery are centered. |
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 Bristle Block Style ConnectionAllows for connection at multiple orientations without permanent deformation. |  Internal LightingThe Bubbles are lit from within with programmable LED pixels. |
 Safety ConsiderationsPictured: Entrapment Gauge |  Style RendersClockwise from top left: Giraffe, Flamingo, Crocodile, Zebra |
 Charging OptionThe proposed charging solution involved one bubble seated on a hub and passthrough charging to the remainder of the devices. (Scrapped due to potential wear on overall device from passing charge repeatedly) |
Version 1:
Bubble Buddy
The first semester of research and iteration concluded with a product design that we gave the name 'Bubble Buddy'. The Bubble Buddy is a system of interactive ball toys (Bubbles) that provide entertainment and developmental games for toddlers of all abilities. These games focus on exercising fine and gross motor skills through interactive play. Each bubble has default sensory outputs that are independently active, while current smartphone connectivity brings a unique play experience: an app that allows parents to select and modify games to better fit their child’s preferences while still developing their motor skills. The feedback received on this design was very positive; Main concerns included simplifying the parental interaction needed and increasing the level of characterization and attractiveness while the toy was inactive.
Version 2:
O-Buddy
As the only returning member of the prior semester's team, I spearheaded the redesign of the previous system aided by user testing and interviews. After playing with the current toys with toddlers, we dialed up the characterization of the toys, making them more interesting by adding brighter colors, textures, patterns, and removable face plates and tails. Taking feedback from parents, clinicians, and special educators, we cut back on the game aspect of connectivity and adult interaction, giving parents less to do while focusing deeper on the adaptability of the system to each child's senses. These changes made the system more intuitive and usable by the child alone while also increasing the control parents had over things like volume level and brightness when necessary for both the child's developmental needs and the parent's need for quiet time!
 O-Buddy: Key FeaturesO-Buddies are a line of characterized ball toys that encourage motor skill development in toddlers. The toy consists of a flexible TPU shell around a semi-flexible plastic convex-curved disk, which houses the electronic components to keep them protected as well as make them inaccessible to the child. |  O-Buddy: Active OutputsAs O-Buddies are moved, thrown, dropped, and turned, they trigger different sensory output responses, in the form of sounds, vibration, and illumination patterns. This feedback elicits and maintains high interest levels from children. All output levels can be adjusted to more strongly or more gently stimulate children based on independent need, creating a type of adaptability that can account for sensitivities like those seen in children with Autism and sensory loss like that of a deaf child. |
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 O:Buddy: Character ThemesThe basic outer form allows for a variety of themes to be applied, including animals and popular characters, in order to attract young children of all interests. Four possible 'Character Packs' are shows in this image. The toys are designed to be used together and 3 was found to be an optimal number for sale as well as child enjoyment. |  O-Buddy: Physical ModelsWe created four example models to show possible applications of texture, color, three-dimensional pieces and test the physical connectivity of our design. Each O-Buddy maintains the same base structure, but is distinct from each other in both visual and tactile ways; Bright colors and variations in texture and shape make the balls easy to tell apart for children with sensory deficits. The differences attract attention from across the room and encourage collecting multiple toys at once. |
 O-Buddy: Removable PiecesThe face and tail caps of each ball can be swapped or removed to better suit the child’s interests. The caps themselves are designed to build fine motor level pinching and pressing as they are pressed on and off. This also allows the fabric pieces to be removed and cleaned without causing water damage to the powered components. |  O-Buddy: Shape and TextureGross motor skills control the large muscles of the body that allow us to walk, run, jump, and throw. The O-Buddy’s spherical shape encourages young children to push, roll, throw, and chase it; actions that are intense enough for a toddler to help develop their large muscles! The 3D pieces and holes in the shell give the child multiple possible handholds and textural queues encourage their use. |
 O-Buddy: ConnectionsFine motor skills control the smaller muscles in the hands and fingers that allow us to pick objects up, align things, and write. The connectors extending from the O-Buddy’s will interlock with each other, but only if aligned correctly! Getting the buddies to ‘hold hands’ helps develop these precise skills and push and pull strength, as well as 'coming to midline', the act of holding something in both hands at the center of your body. |  O-Buddy: Caterpillar BaseThe caterpillar base provides two important functions. The head of the caterpillar acts as the sensitivity adjustment for the system, offering changes in brightness, volume, and vibration intensity. The body pieces each charge a single O-Buddy via inductive charging, with the option of chaining more body pieces to charge more at once. |
 Current ReleasesJuly 2024 |  ElmoProof of Concept - Realization |
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 Frog/ReptileProof of Concept - Realization |
Market:
Bright Starts
After a year of research, the final iterations of our O-Buddy and Bubble Buddy designs were passed off to engineers and designers within Kids II's development team. After some time, the first versions of our toys were released for sale through toy stores and websites under the Bright Starts label. This began with the analog Jingle & Shake Pal Frog and Elmo toys, and has expanded to include toys with powered components like the Giggle & Glow Elephant and the Grab & Giggle Monkey toys. These toys have amassed thousands of positive reviews and have been shown to be incredibly successful at encouraging play in young toddlers and mark the culmination of a truly successful design project.