Space Journey
An engaging & inclusive play experience for the visually impaired
Overview
The lack of quality toys for sight impaired children was what motivated this project. Most and if not all existing toys for sight impaired children are mainly focused on braille learning and sensory development. They lack in play patterns and are restricted in form, function and a shared play experience. Space Journey aims to challenge these restrictions.
Year
2019
Age
4 year plus
Children with sight impairment is often underrepresented by majority of the toy industry.
Can sight impaired children enjoy pretend play with toys like other children?
Inspiration
Space Journey was inspired by playful, clean and thoughtful form and function.
Research: Sight Impairment
There are different types of visual impairment, and it doesn’t always mean that they are fully blind. Based on the types of the impairment people are still able to see in varying degrees. Even people with severe sight impairment still have the ability to visualize objects to a certain point.
Research: Braille
Braille is a tactile reading and writing system used by blind and visually impaired people. It is not a language but a code used by thousands of people around the globe in their native languages.
As of 2016, seven English speaking countries uses the ‘Unified English Braille’. Contractions, or simplified grades of braille codes for faster reading and writing speed are used. There are three grades with grade 1 being the most simplified and commonly used by beginners.
Concept Sketches
Concept Development
Space Journey toys have grade 1 simplified braille on different parts of the body, labeling each part. A center button at the center of the toy that turns on soft LED lights with different colors for each part of the body with braille.
The soft LED lights enhance hand eye coordination and stimulate tactile and visual senses. These features help those with sight impairment enhance their ability to recognize shapes and distinguish which parts they are with the varying colors.
Prototype
Pretend Play
Children like to tell their own stories by reflecting the world around them through play. Space Journey encourages children with sight impairment age 4 and up to use their imagination and experience to have the characters enact diverse and extended stories. Space Journey enables them to create their own scenarios of an epic journey through the unknown.
