Team Project II
REACH Toy: The Rocker Board
The culmination of the classwork and learning in class all quarter came through this final team project. Our assignment was to create a fully functioning toy able to be used by children with disabilities. The idea my team came up with was a rocking toy, known as The Rocker Board, which was tailored towards kids who tended to sway and move a lot, such as children with autism. The toy was designed with the intent to take this movement and turn it into a safe and enjoyable activity.
Objective & Process
The goal of this project was to brainstorm, design, and create a toy for children with disabilities. The foundation of this project was centered around the needs of an organization known as REACH Services. This nonprofit has a lending library of toys that are able to be rented out by families affected by a disability and were in need of toys targeted towards middle and high school aged children. With this in mind, we came up with a toy intended for children who tend to sway and move excessively such as children with autism. Our toy, the Rocker Board, is designed to take this excess motion and turn it into an enjoyable, safe, and fun activity outlet.
Intention and Ideal Users
Children with autism tend to rock and sway excessively. Our intent with the Rocker Board was to harness this energy into an enjoyable activity that would keep the user entertained. Although targeted towards middle and high school aged children, the Rocker Board can be enjoyed by all.
Design and Modeling
Our vision for each aspect of the toy changed throughout the process starting from our first prototype to our completed functional final product. The biggest challenge my team faced was figuring out how to create a part that would attach to the underside of the Rocker Board's seat and allow for multi-directional movement. The image on the right shows the SolidWorks model of one of the circles that made up the dome of our rocker.
Finished Prototype
The creation process of the Rocker Board included a couple design changes which ultimately led us from our initial idea to our final product. The changes we made along the way included the addition of the dome-shaped rocker as a separate piece from the seat and a cushion to make the toy more enjoyable to sit on and use.
Reflection
Assessed the needs of the core stakeholders including the child, child's parents, and REACH Services
Used the lathe, sander, and laser cutter in the machine shop to create and assemble the dome rocker
Designed and created the Rocker Board according to the ASTM toy standards
Evaluated and assessed the ability of the Rocker Board to meet predetermined needs
Presented our toy in detail through a professional presentation to REACH Services and other Rose-Hulman faculty