Miimi
Interaction Design/Product Design
Interaction Design/Product Design
Interaction Design/Product Design
Interaction Design/Product Design
Interaction Design/Product Design
Interaction Design/Product Design
Interaction Design/Product Design
Interaction Design/Product Design
Interaction Design/Product Design
Designer(s)
Kiran Patel, Paco Lui
Duration
9 Weeks
Recognitions
RGD Honorable Mention for Creative Innovation
What is Miimi?
Miimi is a sensory-imbued doll for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), aiming to solve the general difficulty of developing emotional understanding and uncertainty of how to parent from the caregiver. This complex issue involves the caregiver as well, so a comprehensive companion app complements Miimi. Inspired from the sounded phrase "Me & Me", Miimi's name is constructed to reflect the child and caregiver (the first 2 i's, "Mii"), with the product assisting their relationship (the third i, "mi"). While the child carries their newfound companion anywhere they go, the parent will be able to receive information to better their parenting effectiveness for them.
A Smart Product Dynamic
The doll operates through a friendly interface the child can engage with as a companion, with music and interactive prompts to let them dance and play. Leading research shows movement, pressure, and eye contact detail emotional cues in the child - Miimi captures those data points and provides concise summaries for the caregiver in the app. Appearance is vital; the visual design of the doll is made simple, friendly, and predictable to not intimidate the child. Combined with customizable weaves and looks, personalization creates further meaning in the product for each child's Miimi and mitigates stigma that surrounds assistive devices.
The Empathy Doll
Emotional cues come programmed with the doll to teach the child basic emotional understanding; for example, Miimi can smile and sing when it is sunny outside, building a social reason to display happiness. Research shows mimicking/modelling target behaviour is a proven way to develop empathy and understanding in children - Miimi leverages that to teach and grow with their users.
The Data-Centric App
On the other hand, the parent receives summarized data that provides them with first-glance insights and detailed progress; helping them understand when and why they may experience high pressure, nervousness, calmness, or attentiveness. The companion app focuses on clear value proposition and a broad range of data visualization for the user, from day-to-day towards year-to-year. Hence, Miimi aspires to connect caregivers and ASD children together through playful and informative acts of emotional understanding.
