Designing smart objects with SNaP platform in remote

About

Co-create research project funded by Free University of Bozen-Bolzano aims at expanding co-design process with children from a physical classroom and workshop setting to a remote co-creation process in which children from different localities with different access to tools and facilities can create connected/smart object ideas in a collaborative way. As an outcome, the project envisions creating digital/analogue tools and instruments for children to collaborate over distance for creating new ideas for digital technology while also reflecting on critical issues of the conscious and sense-making use of it. This project is based on the previously done research project Co-story and builds up on its tools and methods for co-designing technology with children.

WORKSHOP by Rosella Gennari & Eftychia Roumelioti (Unibz — Computer Science Faculty) and Seçil Uğur Yavuz (Unibz — Faculty of Design and Art)

The workshop was conducted at a distance with design students (BA level) by Rosella Gennari, Eftychia Roumelioti (Unibz – Computer Science Faculty), and Secil Ugur Yavuz (Unibz – Faculty of Design and Art). It was based on a game tool – SNaP, which was re-purposed for the workshop and used as a virtual tool to create smart object ideas. During the workshop, while design students used the SNaP platform and illustrations to communicate their ideas, Secil Ugur Yavuz created mock-ups by using Microbits and Samlabs and shared the results with students via the video camera simultaneously.

Intro – Rosella Gennari & Eftychia Roumelioti (Unibz – Computer Science Faculty) – introduction of SNaP platform
Playing/Generating ideas – Interactive artifacts
Presentation of First ideas – Feedback – Refining ideas
Testing the ideas with Micro-bits and Samlabs
Presentation of ideas and final reflections

Date: December 2020