Emotiplayground Design of Interactive Assistive Toys for Emotional Communication Disorders in Autistic Children

Abstract

This research is about the development of EmotiPlayground, an interactive toy that is designed to help children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) develop emotional and social skills. An increasing number of autism cases globally makes it necessary to have effective interventions. Principles of emotional interaction design and Internet of Things (IoT) technology are used in EmotiPlayground to develop a customized experience to deal with the specific difficulties of children with ASD. As the toy is designed with a friendly bear design and color-coded emotion cards, it is the toy that allows children to explore and express their feelings. By using a user-based design (survey and interview with parents and educators), the toy is assured to conquer the specific user needs. The research shows how assistive technology could help promote emotional growth and family relationships to make Autism a more inclusive experience for children.