Material Research

The materials for our design needed to meet the following criterion:

1. Durable (Resistant to shattering specifically)
2. Easy to Sanitize
   
3. Affordable
   
4. ​Variety of colors
   
5. Non-Toxic

Team decided on two materials to use throughout the designs.

• HDPE (High Density Polyethylene)- This material is very durable, water resistant, relatively cheap, and is available in a wide variety of colors. It is often used to make children's playgrounds.
• Polycarbonate - Durable and unlikely to fracture if under force, transparent, and affordable. It is also easy to machine.

In-Person Research

An important part of the design process for us was to get hands on feedback from children. By doing in person testing and asking questions simultaneously, we were able to make significant improvements in each iteration. 

By performing user testing we came to these conclusions:

• Children enjoy maze type challenges
• They enjoy bright inviting colors
  
• They need easy to handle and lightweight toys
  
• We made many iterations throughout our design process that are further detailed in the developing solutions page
  

Benchmarking The Competition

To inspire creativity and inspect the modern day toy market our team spent days studying what makes a successful toy. We found that there are almost no toys on today's market that meet all the requirements and constraints for this project. This gives us a great opportunity to make a difference children living in hospital settings. 

Most of the toys on today's market didn't meet these requirements:

• Often had small free toys that may pose choking hazards
• Had small crevices and areas where bacteria could build up making them difficult to sterilize​

Step 1: Define the Problem

Step 2: Collect information

Step 3: Brainstorm & Analyze Ideas

Step 4: Develop Solutions / Build a Model

Step 5: Feedback

Step 6: Improve the Design