JEFF
Send message of love through a simple hug
Case Study, 2014.11--2014.12 Tags: Arduino, GSM Shield, Force Sensor
Jeff is an interactive teddy bear designed to let children easily send text messages of love to their parents through a simple hug. When children hug the bear, the bear will move and light up. In the meantime, parents will receive a text message on their mobile phone. Reply with the message and the bear will light up.
My Role: This is a teamwork project done by Hubert Uy, Luke Kao and Xi Liu. All the team members want to solve the communication problem between family members. That's why Jeff was born. As the designer of the team, I design all the poster, business card, and took part in the concept design and physical computing process.
Video Demo
Why Jeff was Born?
Help children text their loved one without typing.
We are living in a hyper-global society where diaspora is increasingly becoming commonplace. In the Philippines, for example, 10% of its population, over 10 million people, are living and working abroad. As the numbers continue to grow every year, we slowly see a generation of children growing up without their mothers and a generation of fathers working to support their children who they will never see growing up.
Although social networks and smart devices have made communication with loved ones abroad easier, these platforms are not designed with children in mind. If a child wants to Skype with dad, for example, the child would need to ask mom to open Skype for him. What if we could design a product specifically for children to easily send their messages of love to their parents abroad? This is where “Jeff” comes in.
TARGET USER
children (ages 3-7 years old) who can't type and send text message but miss their parents abroad.
How about...
A HUG !
Though kids can't type, most of them are familiar with toys. For kids, we change the gesture of sending message. By simply hugging the bear, a child will be able to, for example, send an “I miss you, dad” to his father abroad. The father abroad can also send back his love by simply texting a reply and lighting up “Jeff”s heart. A hug is simple interaction and hugging has emotional connection with love.
How it works
1. Set up your mobile phone number and give Jeff to your child
2. When the child hugs Jeff, Jeff will move & light up
3. You'll receive the message of love on your mobile phone
4. reply with your message and Jeff will light up, indicating that you has sent back your love.
Our Team
