Technology has never been more prevalent than it is now, especially for the children who, at younger and younger ages, are exposed to more and more of it. But instead of subscribing to the idea that technology ultimately harms childhood development, Tokyo-based JellyWare Inc. wants to embrace it instead with Wordee.
Wordee is an educationally-minded robot that, put simply, draws with light. This unique hook is made possible through Wordee’s use of LEDs that blink in certain patterns that are absorbed by a phosphorescent sheet. This allows the device to “print” out words and phrases that persist for a few seconds before fading away.
By connecting to its companion app, kids can use Wordee in a variety of ways. Type a message or draw a picture with the app, and it’ll be printed with Wordee. Or, the app can show an illustrated picture and Wordee can print out the corresponding words. $95 gets backers a single Wordee device along with a light absorbing sheet by December 2016. The flexible Indiegogo campaign is looking for $30,000 in funding by October 2016.
Wordee serves as an engaging educational aid that can help teach language. And with plans to expand its capability into topics like history, entertainment, and foreign languages, there are many applications for this tiny device. It’s nice to see a children’s toy that diverges from the usual programming-focused offerings like the Codeybot or MakerBloks. The light-printing aspects of Wordee are indeed unique and everything from schools to foster to community centers will be able to find some use in what it brings to the table.