Weekly Newsletter for 1/27/2012

This Week in the Digital Dream Lab!

Observation

We have spent a lot of time visiting the Children’s Museum this week, exploring all of the exhibits and reflecting on why they work. The team has also spent time in the Makeshop to watch how children and parents interact in the space.

Storming

We have been hard at work trying to nail down some solid concepts to present to the team at the children’s museum that exemplifies the spirit of the Makeshop. We have been doing some mind mapping, word association, and brain writing to generate all sorts of wild ideas that can be reigned in for practical applications. The Makeshop gave us pretty loose guidelines, so it is up to us to find the idea that combines content and interface in a new and interesting way.

Media

Anisha and Joo have been hard at work creating concepts for our art assets this week. They have been focusing on the logo and website material, and will continue to work towards a cohesive look.

Equipment

The team at the Makeshop asked us to explore the SMALLab system, which includes a motion capture system paired with a projector. It provides an environment that allows the student to use their whole body during the learning process. We have used this as an example during brainstorming, but we have also been looking at other interesting technology, like the Wacom Inkling. The Makeshop currently asks children to sketch what they would like to make as part of their process, and they would also like to display these as a digital catalogue. The Wacom Inkling captures your sketch as you draw, and would be a great addition to bridge the gap to the digital space.

Next Week

• Project direction and platform decision!
• Continue discussions regarding equipment and space to recreate a SMALLab
• Shadow facilitators to gain a better understanding of the Makeshop space and interactions
• Continue work on the website
• Continue developing art assets