Discovery Marble Run — 2023

We teamed up with the MerchSource Design Team to create a thrilling LED-amplified vision of the classic marble run. We created a modular system that makes construction quick, highly versatile, and accessible to a wide age range. Comprising 15 piece types and 3 LED elements, the main challenge was in engineering this system to be highly functional yet economic to manufacture.

As a Discovery-branded product, we sought to imbue play with a STEM basis. We designed track pieces to subtly instill the theories of chaos and physics. A two-marble start pointedly demonstrates the relevance of these effects. Though started at the same time, competing marbles may reach the finish line at very different times due to the random elements of chance introduced by pieces which affect the outcome.

We embedded LEDs into three pieces of the system. Directable spotlights, support frame inserts, and even the marbles themselves light up, turning an exciting chase into a dazzling display in the dark.