Touch-N-Learn Tray

 

Project Sponsor:

Learning Tek, LLC
Learning Tek is an innovative health education and marketing company for children. The desire to improve the lives of children and their families has fueled Learning Tek to develop products for children’s health education. The Learning Tek team includes physicians, nurses, educators, and business professionals who want to help children and their families. A percentage of all profits are donated to research, education, and support of important children’s health and wellness issues.
 
Project Summary:

Problem:
The tactile sensory learning board "Touch-N-Learn Tray" allows children to write in a substance by pressing his/her fingers against the surface, while forming numbers, letters, or words, generating high interest towards learning. There is a strong body of research supporting the use of multi-sensory tools as a means of improved learning. An existing prototype has been tested in local schools with favorable results. This prototype is simple in design and there is a desire to improve and modify its design for higher functionality and improved learning. Design a tray to meet the needs of aural, visual, and kinesthetic students, by creating a tray with a self contained writing medium, and infused peppermint scent, as brain research has shown that peppermint boosts mood, motivation, and memory.
(Previously existing prototype)


Design Objectives:
- Total cost to manufacture < $20.
- Life expectancy of 3 years.
- Determine the best way to infuse a peppermint scent that can be turned on/off into the tray.
- Determine the most effective writing substance
- Determine a method to cover and contain the writing substance.
- Product must follow ASTM and safety standards.

Solution:
The final design of the "Touch-N-Learn Tray" is best described by the details of the main parts of the tray.

Peppermint Scent
The peppermint emitting medium selected is a scented plastic wafer. This wafer is kept in a plastic container that is integrated in the tray that can be opened or closed depending on if the scent should be on or off. The projected lifespan for these wafers is two years and have a low cost.

Overall Tray
The tray has many impressive features. The tray features colorful letters and numbers around the outer edges of the tray, a protective lid that functions as a paper holder when in the upright position, and an insert to easily replace the writing substance in case of puncture of the substance's cover.


Writing substance/Cover
The writing substance chosen is a wax material similar to Turtle Wax®. This material has tremendous shape retention, easy manipulating abilities, and a low cost. To the right is a picture showing the excellent impressions that can be formed with this material.

The containment for the writing substance was one that needed to have a good deal of puncture resistance while also allowing the user to manipulate and see the writing material it is covering. After testing several thicknesses of plastic sheeting for puncture resistance and clarity. Based on the results of those tests, 2.5 mil PVC plastic was chosen as a cover material as it has a good puncture resistance and a high transparency.

 

 
Tek Tray Team Members:

Grant Etter
Christopher Goldman
Nathan Seitz
Tim Greene
Nathan Ross

Faculty Coach:
Dr. Mary Frecker

Fall 2003