Year
2024
Mode
Team
Category
Toy System Design
Product Duration
2 Months
Children don’t need another screen or app.
They need reasons to run, laugh, compete, explore, and occasionally turn the living room into a playground.
This project began with a challenge: design a multi-functional toy for children aged 6+ that builds cognitive and social skills while reducing screen time. It also needed to feel welcoming to both neurotypical and neurodivergent children. The goal was not to compete with technology by copying it, but to offer something screens struggle to deliver—movement, imagination, and real-world connection.
The first step was listening to the people who know play best: children and their parents.
Questionnaires revealed familiar concerns—too much screen time, shorter attention spans, and fewer chances for active social play. At the same time, research into neurodivergent play behaviors showed how many children benefit from tactile feedback, repetition, sensory stimulation, and clear interaction patterns.
Existing toys and laser-tag systems were also reviewed. Many were exciting for a week, then forgotten in a cupboard. The challenge became designing something children would keep coming back to.
We also had an opportunity to conduct a research test on the students at a UCMAS Institute and write a research paper on our findings.
One thing quickly became clear: there is no single way to play. Some children want speed, movement, and competition. Others prefer sensory interaction, focused tasks, or imaginative exploration. Many products choose one lane and stay there. Children rarely do. That insight changed the direction of the project.
Instead of designing one toy for one type of child, the aim became creating a system flexible enough to support different moods, personalities, and play styles. In short, less “one-size-fits-all,” more “choose your own adventure.”
Through brainstorming a modular play system emerged. Rather than one object with one purpose, Photon was designed as a toolkit for many kinds of fun. Early concepts explored two core elements: a handheld blaster for active, movement-based play, and an interactive fidget chip for tactile and adaptable games.
Storyboards imagined treasure hunts, reaction challenges, tabletop competitions, and moments of simple fidget play. One moment children could be teammates, the next rivals, then inventing their own rules entirely. That unpredictability became part of the design to retain attention.
With the concept in place, attention turned to making it feel great in the hand and durable enough for enthusiastic play. The blaster was shaped for younger users, with balanced proportions, a comfortable grip, and intuitive controls. The chip evolved into a compact multi-use object featuring a clip, suction mount, tactile button, keychain loop, and light feedback.
Internal components such as sensors, speakers, batteries, and docking systems were carefully arranged to stay robust without becoming bulky. Safe materials such as ABS plastic, silicone, and non-toxic finishes helped ensure safety without sacrificing personality.
We made 3D Resin printing to produce accurate working Arduino prototypes of the product system.
The result is Photon - A modular play system designed to tempt children away from screens and back into the real world.
With a handheld blaster and interactive chips, children can switch between movement games, team challenges, focused tabletop play, and sensory interaction. One minute it’s a treasure hunt. The next, a fast-paced showdown. Later, it might simply be something satisfying to click in your hand.
Photon adapts to different children, different moods, and different ways of playing—because good toys don’t dictate fun, they invite it.
We produced a working prototype in an IIT National Design competition for inclusive play and reached finalists.
