Enter The Nano
Nanoteer is a platform that introduces kids to the world of nanotechnology through a digital-physical hybrid toy that lets them experience science in the lab while learning about the breakthroughs that nanotechnology make possible in cancer research and treatment.
CONTEXT
Summer 2017
14 Weeks
Design for Health and Wellbeing
ArtCenter College of Design
ROLE
Industrial Designing, Concept Development, 3d Printing, 3d Modelling, 3d Rendering, Rapid Prototyping
TEAM
Alan Lee / Product Design
Joseph Park / Interaction Design
Sherlan Absemsias / Graphic Design
SPECIAL THANKS
Jeff Higashi
Brian Boyle
Theo Von
Darren Kee
Dr. Lee
SPONSORSHIPS
Platform Overview
A Battle for the Body
During the course of the game, the player must discover and assess the type of cancer or ailment the patient has, strategically calibrate a specific medicine to administer using the pipette controller, and deliver the medicine in a battle-like mode, rotating the iPad to navigate toward target cancer cells in fast-action movements.
Physical Design
With a target audience of 10-year-olds, the educational platform combines aspects of a video game and science lab set. The immersive experience is accessed using an iPad, which can be held and rotated during gameplay, a lab set pad, and two pipette-like controllers mimicking the tools and equipment used by researchers in the lab synthesizing the therapies targeting specific cancer cells.
Multi-Position Controller
The pipette inspired controllers can be removed to then interact with the lab pad. The controllers can be held in two positions (describe positions better).
Gaming Modes
Lab Mode
After gathering information from T-Cells, the player chooses a cancer sample to use for testing medicine combinations on different nanodiamonds. Key concepts of nanodiamond technology, cancer treatment, and the immune system were translated into game mechanics.
Patient Info
Provides an overview of patient symptoms and shows the location and severity of tumors throughout the body.
Build Medicine
After finding a suitable medicine ratio in the Combination Therapy Mode, the player uses the pipette and spoon controller to mix the solution they will use to fight the cancer cells in the body.
Science Concepts Used
The pipette and spoon mechanics come from the actual tasks nanoscientists do in the lab to create medicine mixtures.
Body Mode
After gathering information from T-Cells, the player chooses a cancer sample to use for testing medicine combinations on different nanodiamonds.
Key concepts of nanodiamond technology, cancer treatment, and the immune system were translated into game mechanics.
Battle Mode
In Battle Mode, the player navigates their way through the body to find cancer cells, and launch their nanodiamond medicine payload within the time limit. The payload’s effectiveness depends on the strength of the medicine they mixed in Build Medicine Mode.
Nanoteer User Flow
User Scenario
Process Overview
What inspires?
Before we could translate nanoscience to children, we toured the labs at UCLA to get a better understanding of the equipment processes and importance of what these scientists were doing.
Field Research
Before we could translate nanoscience to children, we toured the labs at UCLA to get a better understanding of the equipment processes and importance of what these scientists were doing. Their processes involved the use of machinery such as vortex mixers, micro-pitettes (pictured on the right), and centrifuges, and flow cytometers. These tools would later inspire us during our concepting phase.
Key Trend Research
Equally as important to understanding the science, is understanding our target user. The team conducted extensive research into child developmental stages, pedagogical requirements of schools, and trends regarding education.
Low-tech Learning
A move away from the latest technology in learning,
Hands-on Tech
Combining both digital and physical learning allows for tangible and meaningful discovery.
Tactile Learning
A pushback from over digitalizing means a move towards learning through doing.
The team presenting our midterm with the nanoscientists from UCLA
Process
Process
The team presenting our midterm with the nanoscientists from UCLA