Inclusive & Assistive Products
ISDN2001/2002: Second Year Design Project
Designing for Dyslexic users
This research is conducted to find suitable devices available for beneficial usage for the Special Educational Needs students (SEN students in short, but mostly Dyslexia students). Note that our design draft targets creating products showing 2D/3D models clear to our target users. This brings a foreseeable development and research criteria for this independent study.
Background & Experience
The team WordCraft has focused on shaping support for the dyslexia students’ learning due to their lack of connection between words and object form. Dyslexia students have intelligence like normal humans. Yet, they have a rather hard time following the normal study pattern. After further discussion, it is agreed that the 2D/ 3D graph is still the major study this semester, and this study will be finding a suitable portable device for this kind of technology.
Hypothesis
Dyslexia learners excel in visual learning, yet have trouble understanding the traditional auditory-phonological learning methods. To help them learn language through word linkage and word writing, a hypothesis can be made:
Visual-cognition techniques engage dyslexic children more effectively and strengthen word-object associations than phonological methods by leveraging their spatial-visual cognitive processing.
Topic Research
Smart Pen
Twist’n Write Pencils is a pen with twisted shape, which the products claims to help holding postures.
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The problem of hand posture is listed on the product page, which helps kids hold the pen with less pressure. However, Dyslexia is a problem that mostly focuses on phonological processing, which assumes this is not beneficial to solve the basics of dyslexia’s pain points.
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If it can be applied to the product, it could be a great addition to the product’s user friendliness test. However, it should not be the main focus of the product.
Twist’n Write Pencils
C-Pen Reader 3 is a smart scanning pen which allows word scan, changing it into a small digital dictionary.
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According to the product page, the product is small in size and easy to carry.
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The product has the function of reading text and allowing text-to-speech conversion, which creates convenient while using.
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Built-in dictionaries are applied. This allows users to tidy up word storage and revision through it.
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Customization is also included. Customizations allow user to create their comfortable environment themselves.
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Text-to-speech conversion is allowed, which can help users to understand its pronunciation.
C-Pen Reader 3
BBK smart dictionary pen is a smart pen that helps Chinese primary and secondary school students study through their curriculum.
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Compare it with C-Pen Reader, it have a larger screen which will be easier for kids to touch and use. While the screen size is not small either, hologram could probably be implemented.
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Built-in school textbook data is implemented, which is convenient for students to directly study from the school curriculum.
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Stores scanned wrong question, which student can revisit the wrong questions they have answered previously.
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A foldable device, which made it convenient to bring.
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If BBK is targeted for dyslexia, more shape processing could be included. Replacement of the built-in textbook with a designed database might be influential. Showing 2D/3D model after scan could also be a great feature.
BBK smart dictionary
Conclusion
→ A scanner for word and text-to-speech converter would be beneficial (Optical Character Recognition is used).
→ Button is preferably forbidden. Using a touch screen, which is easier to use, could be more user-friendly.
→ Size is important. But smaller size equals more reliance on cloud storage and the need to be connected to another device.
→ A foldable design should be included if the device is medium-sized.
→ Most of the pen still relies on a connection to phones or pads. It could be a great add-on if connection is available on larger control panels, as a larger screen provides better control.
Pyramid
The hologram pyramid projector is an inverted-pyramid-shaped device that allows a hologram to be shown through an optical illusion called Pepper's Ghost.
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The cost is cheap, easy to use. Just need to be put in a specific location.
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The quality would be questionable, but it would be enough assuming the product is only for kids.
Fan
- Although the quality is good, it is quite expensive. Kids won’t need such high-quality hologram to fully understand a word, which makes it less cost-effective.
- Control Board (e.g. arduino board), Wifi/BlueTooth connection, battery (It is just fast 2D shape which illustrate 3D models.)
- High-speed fans might be dangerous for kids. If this is considered, many safety measures should be done.
Smart Wearing Glasses
These smart glasses, introduced by Huawei and Oppo, brings quality of life changes to users in daily life when connected to digital devices.
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It could be connected to an external device. Have the ability to provide sound. Some installation of externall devices could change it main usage, such as adding a camera on sides can make it a “portable scanner”.
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A glasses is more convenient to bring outside than a “smart study pen”.
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kids wearing glasses at a young age might cause visual issues, which might not be a great solution.
Study Result
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The portable device should be considerably small. If it is not, it should be foldable or detachable.
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The product should act as a custom dictionary, which includes the ability to self-input.
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Simplified the product to make it foolproof.
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The ability to show visual support for dyslexia learners could be done with an external device. A suitable large screen size with touch screens maximizes its helpfulness.
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The product should allow dyslexic learners to bring out reasonably. Taking pictures in real life for support might help them to learn new words.
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Text-to-speech could help dyslexic learners to input for the small portable devices.