Air Play
Air Play is an interactive children’s museum exhibit created in a “Design for Curiosity” course under the theme Playing with Intangibles. The function is simple: children build air channels with tube pieces and then pump air through the channels to activate outputs like fans, balloons, and inflatable tube figures.
Agency
Georgia Institute of Technology (Student Project)
Practice Area
Client
Georgia Institute of Technology, Children’s Museum of Atlanta
Industry
Inspired by modular kits like LittleBits, Air Play encourages open-ended play, entertaining experimentation and hands-on education about air pressure. It develops both fine and gross motor skills and engages children of almost any age. Tested multiple times at a children’s museum, it was a class standout, complimented for its intuitive, scalable, and delightful design. Air Play’s unique, durable and electricity-free design makes it an ideal museum installation. The design could be easily adapted to the classroom and even an at-home toy product. Additionally, Air Play’s simple, 3D-printed production method makes the design accessible for institutions with fewer resources.
The Challenge
Since neither teammate had much experience with electronics and programming, our first challenge was to design an installation using little to no computing. Once we settled on Air Play as a concept, the biggest hurdle was feasibility—would manually powered pumps provide enough air pressure? Could we create airtight yet modular components? Will the design be durable enough for the children’s museum environment? Through several test phases in class and at the museum, we were able to answer these questions and develop a successful result.
Project Vision
The vision for this project was to create a delightful and educational experience for children. We wanted to create an installation that struck a perfect balance between structured and open-ended play. Play was to be a hands-on, shared learning experience through experimentation and collaboration with others. We also wanted to include as wide an age range as possible, so designing a variety of interactions that different age groups could enjoy was key. Lastly, an intuitive design was important, as we wanted the children to be able to easily start playing and exploring on their own.
Air pumps channel air through tubes to animate the end pieces. But which end piece are you connected to?
Joanna Brauer
Connect to one output, or connect to many–what will happen if you do?
Joanna Brauer
Design + Execution
With the class design prompt “playing with intangibles,” we wanted to design an interactive exhibit that would let kids see and manipulate pressurized air, discovering how it moves and can be directed to create different effects. Our project took inspiration from LittleBits and Snap Circuits, both of which encourage open-ended experimentation without the need for instructions. We also drew from modular building kits like LEGO and Building Straws, aiming for a configurable and intuitive system that allows children to explore different pathways and outcomes. The museum’s requirements, combined with our concept, shaped the key criteria for our design: it had to be durable, accessible, safe, modular, configurable, functional, and both enjoyable and cognitively engaging for children. For the build, we combined purchased components (pumps, end pieces) with 3D-printed parts (tubes, brackets). The system functioned by letting kids pump air through tubes to different “expression pieces,” such as a fan, balloon, water jug, or an inflatable tube figure. We conducted multiple rounds of user testing with our class and at the Children’s Museum of Atlanta to refine the design based on observations and feedback. The hands-on testing and feedback was very valuable and fun! We were able to make quick improvements, scale up our project, try out new parts, and test interaction prompting methods.
Two pumps allow children to play together!
Joanna Brauer
Pumping the air is perfect for toddlers.
Joanna Brauer
Correctly connecting the tubes to the desired output engages the older children.
Joanna Brauer
Children can work together on the table.
Joanna Brauer
The end pieces are playful and enjoyed by everyone–including adults.
Joanna Brauer
Project Details
Design Team
Jojo Brauer (principal designer, project manager)
Xuanyu Peter Guo (designer, fabrication lead)
Photo Credits
Jojo Brauer (photography, videography)
Video Music by E’s Jammy Jams from Youtube Audio Library
Open Date
April 2024