Toys4Therapy

Documentation

Week 12

Week 13

'Historically tracing of game consoles'

Values and assumptions: Game consoles

• The game console and its additional devices are fitting seamlessly to the comfort of the user

• The game controller is designed to have the physical activity (with hands/fingers)
low as possible

• The user is interacting with friends on the game console (while the user is
playing, he/she is talking to other users of the game console)

• Gaming is fun (while the user is playing on the game console, he/she is
laughing, talking loud and fast paced)

• Gaming is a leisure activity (the user is playing in the afternoon after school
and dinner)

• Gaming consoles are normally/mainly designed for the hands

What if questions: Game consoles

Prototype

Research methods
After the introduction of the projects and the formation of teams, we started applying different research methods related to the chosen project.

Week 11

Recess

Week 14

Object
• While the user is holding a device, he/she is staring to an interface
• The user uses a device to interact with the interface
• The device in the hands of the user is not connected with wires
• The user uses his hands/fingers to control the device
• Wires are seen behind the interface screen and another device
• The device fits seamlessly in the hands of the user
• The user has a device that covers his ears and fits on his head
• The user is talking to the device on the users head

Behavior/activity
• The user is talking to the device on the users head while staring at the interface
• The user is talking loud and fast paced
• The user is laughing
• The activity is performed inside
• The user performs the activity individually
• The user performs this activity for fun
• The user does the activity during the afternoon

Therapy exercises combined with twister.

Week 15

Week 16

Week 17

Week 18

Week 19

Week 20

First meeting with coach (Yuri)

Insights, new angles & questions after meeting with Yuri

A number of pointers:
• Do not start with applying the research you found right away, research into the elements that are important: What is playing? What is therapy? How will these two work together?
• Shape the product by experimenting.
• First collect examples, then classify.
• Start with abstract research.

A number of items that can be researched:
• There is interaction between man and machine, how do you create an instrument where the interaction runs without any problems?
• What kind of existing electronic toys are already present?
• What kind of existing smart toys for hand therapy are already present?
• How can data be collected and applied in the product?
• What actually makes playing fun?
• Current tools are too expensive. Look at what is being used nowadays.

(Minor Makerslab, 2019)

How things are: Game consoles

Method 1 #get familiar

(Minor Makerslab, 2019)

Sketches Duy

History of the video game controllers (list with controllers from 1972-now)
https://www.shortlist.com/tech/gaming/history-of-the-video-game-controller/3231

Conclusion from the list:
The first game consoles were very simple. One dial (which you could twist) to control horizontal movement and one for vertical. Nowadays game controllers and its additional devices are designed to fitting seamlessly to the comfort of the user. Game controllers are designed to have the physical activity (hands and fingers) of the user low as possible. Which is understandable, the user should be focused on the game instead of the game console itself.

(Minor Makerslab, 2019)

Method 2 #get strange

Subvert the values and assumptions we found, by formulating "What if...?" questions:

• What if game controllers were designed in a way that you have to use your hands more (instead of less)/ What if the game controllers were designed to stimulated higher physical activity

• What if the form of game controllers wouldn’t be fitting the hands of the user/ what if the form of game controllers would be totally different from the usual

(Minor Makerslab, 2019)

(Minor Makerslab, 2019)

(Minor Makerslab, 2019)

(Minor Makerslab, 2019)

Sketches Wouter

Magic wand game-controller

Life-size joystick

Pull the rope game controller

Whack-a-mole game controller

Punching bag game controller

This prototype tries to question how an exercise appliance should interact with patients.

This prototype tries to turn whack-a-mole into a challenging finger exercise. The button pop-up physically and also light up.
The players has to quickly push down the button that came up, which may be multiple at a time

For this prototype I had made a quick sketch on illustrator. The prototype could be semi-tested, but at the beginning there were a few points that weren't clear. Which hand should I use and how exactly do you perform the exercises? I will include these points in the process.

Readings

Wouter

Making by making strange (Bell, Blythe & Sengers, 2015)

Goal:
Using examples of defamiliarization to convey guidelines and problems within a domestic design context.

Approaches:
- Cultural and historical readings
- Ethnographic account
- Comparative ethnography

Key Concepts:
Defamiliarization
Ethnography

Pointers for designers:
1- Don’t focus on efficiency
2- Use cultural and historic backgrounds
3- Focus on sustainability
4- Technology should support not limit users
5- Don’t emphasize an overoptimistic view of homes
6- Take into consideration that a household is part of a community
7- Take the entire household into consideration not just single users
8- Don’t assume every household is connected to electricity or internet
9- Be aware of pornography consumption
10- Be aware of religious and spiritual beliefs
11- Homes should allow playfulness

Duy

Making by making strange (Bell, Blythe & Sengers, 2015)

Goal of text
Familiar things are things that are not thought of further, it is what it is. It's always been that way, we say. By going deeper into, and continuing to ask, you can defamiliarize the familiar. This is a way to get a different perspective on the normal image you have of the familiar

Approaches
- Historically > geographically > culturally

Key concept
- Space > community > labor > play
- Have a different perspective on
- Ways to show the unknown

Pointers
- Describe as much as possible (the more the better)
- Describe like a child

Ethnography of Toys

Young children often play with toys, or if there is a lack of toys, anything around that can be used as one.
When a child does not have access to toys or loses that access, it will cry and become obnoxious.

Parents are usually very willing to purchase toys for their children, which can be bought at dedicated stores.
They will sometimes lie about who bought the toys for them and claim it was a fictive person who has special abilities and is also known for punishing children harshly.

Toys are usually made of bright colors and cheap materials. They are not very durable and easily destroyed.

Toys that can move or display movement and toys that are expensive enjoy high popularity.

Some toys help children to imitate certain professions.

Toys can act as status symbol.
Some adults have large toy collections but do not play with them.

There are different toys marketed to boys and girls.

If a toy does not meet stringent safety demands it is withdrawn from the market.

Value's and assumptions: Toys

- Children will play with anything.
- Toys are important for children.
- Toys are preferably brightly colored and have moving parts.
- Children prefer the more expensive toys
- Toys are private property of children.
- There is a sex difference in toy preference.
- Toys have value as a collectible.
- Toys need to be safe.
- Toys can be educational but have to be fun foremost

(Minor Makerslab, 2019)

What if questions: Toys

• What of toys were more educational than fun.

• What if toys were more durable.