Cammy the bunny.

• Main Author: Ng, Zhenhui.
• Other Authors: School of Art, Design and Media
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: DRNTU::Visual arts and music::Design
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/52413
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

With the plethora of design language and designed objects that surrounds our everyday lives, Product Design has ceased to be a single term understandable by product designers, not to mention the general public. Dr. Bruce M. Tharp has further divided this multi-faceted term into different aspects in an online article on popular product design website www.core77.com. In his short article, Industrial Design is further classified into Commercial Design, Responsible Design, Experimental Design and Discursive Design, detailing and providing specific examples of existing products falling into the categories. This article provided the primary starting point for my final year project, dwelling deeply into what end result am I looking at before embarking a year long commitment. Targeting children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, also known as ASD, Cammy is a digital handheld device meant to provide learning, instills self-confidence and aids communication with caregivers and parents. On top of typical 5-inch tablets on the market like the LeapFrog and Innopad, Cammy provides calming capabilities (sensory overload) and added features suited for children with ASD. More than just a toy, it is a companion for children through their growing years. It was developed after kind permission from Rainbow Centre, Margaret Drive School campus to allow observations of the targeted users. Talks with therapists and heads of programmes have also further strengthened my knowledge of the subject and concept. The following charts the progress of my final year project, showing the research, design process and design thinking that culminated into my product, Cammy.