Discovery Mindblown Air Rockets – 2022
It’s 3, 2, 1 … blast off! We designed the Air Rocket launching STEM toy for Discovery Mindblown alongside our mission partners at Merchsource. Our directive was to create a self-contained air-powered system that’s fun, engaging, and supports educational experiences. While the function of the toy was relatively straightforward, we found creative design opportunities with the case and how components interact. Our solution utilizes the stylized mission briefcase as the launchpad itself. A ball joint on the air ram allows for experimentation with angles of trajectory. And the oversized stomp pad is great for kids of all ages.
Discovery Mindblown Air Rockets – 2022
It’s 3, 2, 1 … blast off! We designed the Air Rocket launching STEM toy for Discovery Mindblown alongside our mission partners at Merchsource. Our directive was to create a self-contained air-powered system that’s fun, engaging, and supports educational experiences. While the function of the toy was relatively straightforward, we found creative design opportunities with the case and how components interact. Our solution utilizes the stylized mission briefcase as the launchpad itself. A ball joint on the air ram allows for experimentation with angles of trajectory. And the oversized stomp pad is great for kids of all ages.
Our mission briefing began with an exploration of system components. We ideated an array of case form factors, evaluating concepts for set-up, playability, portability, storage, and shelf-presence. The sky was the limit for our rockets, however for products competing in a retail environment, our evaluation also had to consider efficiencies of manufacturing, part count, and material costs. We narrowed our concepts down to three and refined those further in CAD.
Our mission briefing began with an exploration of system components. We ideated an array of case form factors, evaluating concepts for set-up, playability, portability, storage, and shelf-presence. The sky was the limit for our rockets, however for products competing in a retail environment, our evaluation also had to consider efficiencies of manufacturing, part count, and material costs. We narrowed our concepts down to three and refined those further in CAD.
The final exterior of the case is clad in a space-tech rugged aesthetic. On the shelf, the inner octagon of this form is wrapped with a retail sleeve. In this way the case itself doubles as the product box. More value can then be placed into the lasting play experience, rather than the transient packaging.
The final exterior of the case is clad in a space-tech rugged aesthetic. On the shelf, the inner octagon of this form is wrapped with a retail sleeve. In this way the case itself doubles as the product box. More value can then be placed into the lasting play experience, rather than the transient packaging.
On the interior, we created A/B injection moldable features to secure the contents. The embossed stomp pad, flexible tubing, and air ram tube assemble onto the case to create the launch system assembly. To enhance the three foam rockets, we designed dynamic graphics. We also embedded LEDs that illuminate the body of the rocket in flight so that not even the fall of night can impede scientific progress. The product of our design work is a charismatic launcher that ignites the imagination and imbues play with experiential lessons on force, trajectories, aerodynamics, and gravity.
