projects
moduplay
Benjamin Emereau
Lilli Rothe
…is a modular, analog play system designed to get children moving. Inspired by research on physical activity and cognitive development, it offers interactive tools that promote motion, focus, and creative engagement through play.
Project Description
MODUPLAY was developed in response to the increasing lack of physical activity and focused engagement in children’s everyday environments. The project aims to offer an alternative to passive, screen-based play by introducing a modular, analog play system that promotes movement, interaction, and cognitive stimulation. The central goal is to design physical tools that encourage children to actively engage their bodies while simultaneously training cognitive skills such as memory, attention, and reaction. The project is informed by the study of Miller, McCulloch, and Jarrold (2015), which demonstrates that targeted training in cumulative rehearsal can improve working memory performance in children. MODUPLAY translates this insight into a tangible design format by combining movement with simple memory- and reaction-based tasks.
Reflection and Outlook
The project could not be fully implemented due to several technical difficulties. On the one hand, the Bluetooth connection between the buzzers did not work reliably, which prevented the intended programming of the game. On the other hand, a technical defect occurred towards the end, further complicating the development process. Additionally, the code itself did not function correctly, which limited the usability of the system. A key design challenge was developing a form without having a finalized technical setup. Since the design depends heavily on the placement of components such as LEDs, buttons, or connectors, the form had to be revised and tested multiple times. Originally, additional game modules such as a dice or a stopwatch were planned in order to expand the concept in a modular way. However, these would have only been created as visual models and not as functional prototypes. There is also room for improvement regarding the material choices, as already discussed during the presentation. In the future, all game modules should be powered and controlled via a central control box. Using a dedicated website, different game modes could then be selected and transferred to the modules, creating a flexible and versatile analog-digital gaming system.