Shining A Light on Bright Minds

Goal: To design an interactive and friendly interface for Humi, a fictional virtual AI assistant aimed at engaging and educating young minds. The design needed to create an inviting, fun, and safe experience that encourages children to interact with Humi for learning, play, and discovery.

As the lead designer, my responsibility was to bring Humi to life through a visually engaging and approachable design. I developed the visual identity with soft, pastel colors and friendly, rounded shapes to make Humi appear approachable and relatable to young users. I focused on creating expressive, interactive elements that enhance Humi’s AI capabilities, including a dynamic face display, body sensors, and motion-responsive arms. The design is meant to balance functionality with a playful aesthetic that captures the imagination of children while maintaining a focus on usability and clarity.

Design Strategy

The design strategy for Humi was centered on creating an interactive, character-driven experience. I used a gradient background with pastel tones to establish a calm, welcoming atmosphere - a reflection of the relationship between Humi and child. Humi’s face is expressive, allowing it to respond to voice commands and recognize emotions, creating a more personalized connection with users and I wanted to highlight it's high degree of approachability. I ensured each design element is both playful and purposeful, highlighting features like flexible arms and sensors that make Humi more interactive. This approach emphasizes the product’s educational purpose, positioning Humi as a friendly companion for young learners but also it's soft and gentle side, ensuring that parents can have peace of mind when Humi interacts with their children.

Colour & Typography

The color palette for Humi is soft and inviting, featuring a combination of pastel blues, purples, and pinks that appeal to children while also maintaing inclusivity. I used a playful, rounded sans-serif font for headings and descriptions, reinforcing Humi’s friendly nature. The text is easy to read and positioned clearly to ensure that children can understand and engage with Humi without difficulty. The overall color scheme and typography choices are intended to create a harmonious, approachable design that encourages interaction, exploration, creativity and safety.

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Interactive Elements

Humi’s design includes several interactive features that make it more engaging for young users. The face display is designed to show animations, expressions, and visual cues in response to voice commands, making interactions more dynamic. The live version of this site will play upon the interactivity of Humi, with clean and smooth transitions, interactivity with it's body and an interactive component related to communication. Body sensors allow Humi to detect nearby movement and respond with appropriate actions, enhancing the user experience. By highlighting these interactive features, I was able to make Humi feel like a responsive, intelligent companion that will adapt to any environment and any child.

Reflection

Working on Humi allowed me to explore the intersection of AI technology and child-friendly design. My goal was to create a visually engaging and interactive experience that fosters curiosity and learning in young users. Through thoughtful design choices and a focus on usability, I aimed to portray Humi as an approachable, playful assistant that kids can rely on for both fun and education. This project showcases my ability to blend technology with child-centered design principles, resulting in an experience that is as educational as it is entertaining.