Inclusive Play

Playcore Inclusive Studio

This project focused on play experience design specifically how inclusion can be adapted to modern playgrounds. Working with Playcore, sketching, modeling in Solidworks, and 3d printing scale models for testing then rendering in Keyshot.

Mission

Design a modern inclusive merry-go-round/Spinner for Playcore playgrounds.

Research

Diving into what inclusive play looks feels, or sounds like.

What works? What's out there? How can we improve it?

What Inclusive elements can we include in our designs?

Proprioceptive Stimulation

Proprioceptive stimulation is essential in developing children and helps develop fine motor skills. Some of the best ways to achieve this are through Lifting, Pulling, Pushing, Vibration Input, Swimming, and Toss/Catch.

Vestibular
Stimulation

Vestibular stimulation is also vital in developing children and works on balance and perceptive skills. Ways to stimulate this are swinging, rolling, spinning, hanging upside down, skating, dancing, and movement in general.

Tactile
Stimulation

Tactile stimulants are also very important in developing children and help with both fine and gross motor skills. textures are excellent ways to stimulate this sense.

Initial Inspiration

The initial inspiration for the Tulip spinner came from this 1900's steeplechase spinner called the "human roulette wheel". Users would sit in the center until they were overcome by centrifugal forces and slid to the outer wall of the spinner.

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Sketch Ideation

Rough
Models

Exploring possible forms with

physical sale models

Solidworks Iteration

The Clover Spinner

beginning iterations; too small and low.

Petal Spinner

Exploring possible rotomolded forms; too large

At this point, the client wanted to observe the form of the Petal Spinner with his hands, so we printed an iteration in scale for critique. We were pleased with this form; however, there were some manufacturability issues with its size and safety, as well as manufacturability issues with the additional rail structure.

Solidworks Iteration

Tube Spinner

exploring different manufacturing techniques; too heavy

Rose Spinner

Exploring multi piece rotomold designs; too expensive

Tulip Teacup

Approaching final designs; too tall

These models were important in exploring use, form, and size, and helped me get familiar with 3d printing bugs and glitches.

Full Scale Testing

Testing both possible curves for the inside of the spinner as well as transferring in and out at different heights with different rail heights.

Final designs dictate the object be rotomolded so Solidworks draft analysis is required. Areas in yellow are flagged and need to be drafted for moldability.

Molding

Exploded view and Mounting

The Tulip spinner is designed so that it mounts on the existing Playcore spinner base located left. In addition to this, it can have a variety of different rails installed as a crown for extra support for users with mobility devices and exploring more kinds of play.

The Tulip Spinnner

Experiences

The Tulip spinner provides users of all abilities a stimulating vestibular workout, in addition to tactile stimulation in the textured in-molded seats and a limitless amount of free play exploring physics by maybe putting a rock in the drainage shoot and watching it slide out as the spinner speeds up.