M Costa¹, V Bravo², M P Tévar¹, M Fabregat¹
¹Spanish Toy Research Institute, Pedagogical Department, Valencia, Spain; ²Onilco Innovacion (Grupo Famosa), Onilco Innovacion Manager, Onil, Spain
The Spanish Toy Research Institute (AIJU) in collaboration with a toy company (FAMOSA) carried out a R+D+R project with the aim of creating a new line of electric toy vehicles which enable visual disabled children to use them. These vehicles would also contribute to every children's spatial perception development. The initial exploratory research showed that there are still not specific products to improve spatial perception by using the senses of touch, hearing, and self-perception. Due to the tendency to overprotection and the lack of visual stimulus, blind children or children with severe visual affectation are sometimes unmotivated to the exterior world. That means that games and toys which involve exercise play with vehicles (tricycles, bicycles, electric vehicles) are rarely used by these children even though they are essential in their global growth. This project wanted to put an end to the children passiveness and also motivate them to know how the surroundings are by using a toy. An electric toy vehicle has been specially designed to be used and driven through the sense of hearing and self-perception, independently of having visual disabilities or not. A qualitative research (methodology: team dynamics with parents, teachers and users -children-) was carried out to establish the features of the first prototypes. Afterwards, the specialists of the Pedagogical Department conducted usability tests(in collaboration with the Spanish Organisation for the Blind - ONCE) which supply them with the necessary information to prepare the product manufacturing final briefing (characteristics that must be fulfilled by the product to guarantee its use by children with visual disability). The last prototype is being tested at present. Thus, new conclusions will be shortly available.
Return to the ISLRR.ORG Home Page
