An interactive, screen-free learning platform
Magic Carpet was a joint collaboration between Intel and Welspun to infuse home textiles with intelligence.
Challenge
Welspun wanted to create a smartHome textile using Intel Edison chips.
Approach
We brainstormed a variety of potential smartHome products. In researching their potential, I found there were no comparable products that capitalize on children’s inherent ability to learn through play. We settled on creating a rug-as-gaming-platform that enhances school readiness with preschool-level, play-oriented educational gaming. As users learn new concepts, the rug progresses to more sophisticated levels of learning, progressively preparing them for success in preschool and beyond.
Game Designs
I developed two separate rugs with approximately 20 pre-programmed games each. The first rug, a math and shapes-focused rug, approaches geometric concepts and arithmetic concepts in a fun and competitive environment. Games build on budding math skills, teaching counting, skip-counting, and number patterns. Advanced games build on this knowledge to teach arithmetic and advanced shape theory (beginning geometry).
The second rug, a music and colors-focused rug, allows children to explore the foundations of musical expression in a color language they understand. This rug teaches rhythm, scales, octaves, pattern recognition and introduces them to a variety of instruments (to keep it lighthearted, we included frogs, cats, and farm animals).
Research
To create the game concepts, I conducted research in education benchmarks for U.S. and Canadian children between the ages of 4 and 7 in constructing, organizing, and applying knowledge, language & literacy, mathematics, creative thinking and expression, physical development and social development. We then created personas to represent Magic Carpet’s target audience for developing testing scenarios.
Testing
To test the game designs, we chose 8 kids representing boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 7, with half in school and half preparing to enter school (daycare, home care, or preschool programs). Our testing goals included safety issues, accessibility concerns, appropriateness of games, the ability of games to sustain interest, and their ‘fun’ factor.
Companion Apps
Because this is a screen-free learning platform, users can power the game selection and other menu features using the rug itself. However, there is a companion app for parents and facilitators, allowing them to manage time limits, track learning progress, and change game settings. See the OOBE and concept of the companion app for the rug.
There are no files associated with this project, though I have written or co-authored multiple patents for this project and we hired CMD Agency to create this pitch video.
