CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL MUSIC TOY
NOTEBOUND improves the auditory processing skills of children ages 4-7 through a customisable, visibly interactive music composition toy that grows with their developmental needs while strengthening their physical and mental skills.
role: Industrial Designer
CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS - USER NEEDS
The developmental milestones that occur in children aged 4 - 7 cover a large set of user needs. This issue set the design foundation on a toy that could adapt and age up with the growth a child experiences in this period. My interest focused on changes in fine motor control skills and general ear development of this demographic. It was also important to consider alternate stakeholders in this product: parents, and their parenting needs.
CONCEPT IDEATION
With a significant emphasis placed on both the physical interaction and the audio component, my sketches centred around translating a child's physical input into a direct musical output. Over 50 design concepts converged into three primary concepts that have a continuously-interactive, portable device made for modular play.
WORKING MODELS
Laser-cut cardboard and gear simulations helped with prototyping the toy's moving parts. Audio output was replicated using a microcontroller wired to a solenoid speaker that activated with pressure from the music note toy parts. Testing helped define the final gear ratios of each part, the most effective range of notes playable, and the form development of the toy's outer shell.
GEAR SYSTEMÂ
The moving music tray that catches the note pieces a child arranges is set on an internal conveyor belt that translate the rotation of the main knob into to horizontal movement using the internal gear system. The depth of each tray slot prevents individual music notes from falling out until it rotates to the bottom, which then allow it to slip out the front flap for continuous access. Hidden internal gears prevent children from getting caught while leaving open view space to satisfy their potential curiosity.
USER FLOW
Designed for minimal parental supervision, Notebound's colours indicate with yellow the "interactive' components and blue the stationary parts of the toy. Any combination of music note pieces can be set up and played as the child arranges them via the sheet music tray. Manually turning the knob to play their composition solidifies the connection between action and result, which encourages higher function development in children.
DESIGN FOR PORTABILITY
Notebound stores all required parts internally for an on-the-go experience. During playtime, the open door lets children access the note pieces easily, converting to a ramp that delivers the falling parts directly to the player.
