i’zit
Self-driving Childcare PBV
The current childcare system faces several limitations. Childcare facilities are stationary, restricting children's interaction with nature and reducing opportunities for geographical exploration. Additionally, the system lacks flexibility in drop-off and pick-up times, and there is unequal access to play infrastructure due to economic disparities. To address these challenges, a new form of childcare system for small groups is necessary.
Enter i'zit: a solution inspired by the concept of an "agit" or hideout, where children can experience a more interactive and nature-friendly environment. By utilizing self-driving PBV, i'zit creates a flexible, mobile childcare system that can travel through the nature.
June 2022 - July 2022
Industrial Cooperation Project with Hyundai Motor Group
Team Project with 4 Designers & 1 Engineer
Contribution: Team Leader, Research, Prototyping, Concept Development
A new form of childcare system is needed to accommodate small groups and provide a more dynamic experience.
Why Nature?
Creating an agit(hideout) for Children in the Future Smart City
Biomimicry
Drawing inspiration from the parenting style of animals that protect their young by keeping them beneath their legs, this approach reflects a natural instinct for care and protection.
Mode Transition
Driving mode
The existing platform is vertically oriented to utilize the lower space.
Each of the four columns serves as an independent driving unit.
The wheels are only exposed during movement.
i-level mode
Agit mode
The wheels retract, and the chassis lowers to the ground.
This creates a safe structure that eliminates the need for stairs during boarding and disembarking.
To ensure both the safety of the children and the stability of the mobility, the wheels are tucked inside the columns.
The space below the mobility becomes a free-play area for the children.
Scenario
〰️
Scenario 〰️
Autonomous pick-up
Welcome to board!
For both children and adults
Inside the cozy cabin
External structures
Pillars as a playground
Zitty monitors the children
AI-powered encyclopedia
Application
For the next day
As the drop-off time approaches, the teacher receives detailed information about the children to be picked up.
After reviewing the information, the teacher authorizes i'zit to initiate its journey.
i'zit operates as an autonomous pick-up and drop-off system, arriving at the child's location and safely transporting them to their destination.
This system eliminates the need for parents to handle daily drop-offs and pick-ups at fixed times.
A screen door adorned with welcoming graphics slides open to greet the child.
At the center of i'zit stands Zitty, the childcare robot, the first to warmly welcome the arriving child.
Zitty serves as a guardian angel for the children, while also acting as a trusted assistant.
i'zit features an interior thoughtfully designed to be welcoming for all.
The handles on the storage are positioned at heights accessible to both children and adults,
ensuring ease of use for everyone, further emphasizing the inclusive and practical nature of the design.
i'zit resembles a cozy cabin. Sunlight streams through the concave-shaped ceiling,
filling the interior with warm, natural light that creates a welcoming and comforting atmosphere throughout the space.
When children arrive in nature, they can engage in diverse play activities using the external structures of i'zit.
While the interior offers a cozy and comforting home-like atmosphere, the exterior opens up endless possibilities for active exploration.
By extending the legs attached to i'zit to the desired length, dynamic courtyard spaces can be created, allowing children to shape their play environment freely.
Each of i'zit's four pillars is equipped with unique play elements.
Rather than being designed for a specific activity, it encourages limitless possibilities, allowing children to use it in whatever way they imagine.
The child and Zitty share eye contact, creating a sense of connection.
Standing at 40cm tall, Zitty is perfectly sized to match the seated child’s eye level.
Through its integrated cameras, Zitty monitors the children with a 360-degree view,
continuously collecting and updating visual data related to their activities and behaviors.
Zitty not only monitors and ensures security but also serves as an AI-powered encyclopedia for the children.
All interaction data with the children is added to the daily childcare log.
Parents can freely adjust their children's drop-off and pick-up times at any time.
By setting the time and location, the self-driving system will pick up and drop off the children accordingly.
Zitty compiles the child's data and sends the childcare report to the parents.
Once all the children are dropped off, Zitty returns to the center of i'zit to recharge for the next day.
