Pico

DESIGN: Konrad Ippohorski-Lenkiewicz

Polska

make me! 2016

PICO is an electronic musical instrument for children aged 1 to 5. The toy supports sensory and motor development, i.e. some of the most important development areas, by providing intense sensory stimuli and stimulating manipulation. PICO makes abstract sounds, the nature of which is changed on the continuous basis when twisting the modules. The interface has been developed to be fully understandable and usable by young children. Recent trends in pedagogy speak of the first years of life as crucial and requiring the most attention, thus placing emphasis on the design of the developmental environment.

– “Analysing the market for children’s products, I had the impression that it was not responding to these needs,” the designer said.

“The typical environment for a child is usually soft and pastel or baroque and incomprehensible. Research shows that such environments do not provide strong enough stimuli for optimum development. The designer focused on the area of electronic instruments for children as objects that are both attractive and developmental. Commercially available products unnecessarily mimic the interfaces and sounds of classical instruments. Electronic circuits offer design freedom. The PICO has been prepared for serial production. The casing is designed using ABS injection moulding technology, making the product cheap to produce, easy to recycle and pleasant to the touch, as well as hygienic for children. Prototype: housing – FDM printing, axles – turned from Ertalon, electronics – Arduino board. Technological partner: Zortrax Store.