Cubeworks is a learning material designed to help students new to the Montessori method become familiar with the curriculum. Cubeworks is a frame with modular faces designed to teach specific lessons to 2-5-year-olds. Cubeworks is designed to grow and change with a student as they progress along their learning journey.

「Building Empathy」

Independent Research 

• Montessori Plan

• Active Learning

• Students are expected to communicate 

• Support Concentration

• Students are encouraged to exercise agency 

Name:

Nat

Age:

3

Needs:

An enjoyable and educational way to adapt to the Montessori Method.

Frustrations:

After being in a traditional education environment, Nat struggles to adapt to the Montessori method.

Defined User

「Prototyping」

Precedents

Lovevery Play Kits

Linkki Modular Toy

Activity Cube

「Testing」

• Create a more accessible design for our users 

• Better communicate the role of educators 

Testing Results 

Learning Material Prototyping

Lesson Plan Development 

Purpose, Presentation, Materials, Vocabulary, Age, Control of Error

Progression

Emilija, Teacher at Cambridge Montessori School

Mastery & Advancement 

Sliding Tiles

Age Range:

4-5

Level:

3

Goal:

Building fine motor skill, spacial awareness, & problem solving

Gear Wall

Age Range:

3-5

Level:

2

Goal:

Building fine motor skills, basic mechanics, & recognizing cause and effect.

Bead Maze

Age Range:

2-3

Level:

1

Goal:

Learning the foundations of spacial and color recognition.

Alphabet Chart

Age Range:

3-4

Level:

2

Goal:

Strengthening knowledge of the alphabet by connecting it to familiar things.

Fidget Station

Age Range:

3-5

Level:

2

Goal:

Helping kids focus in class with healthy fidgeting.

Memory Game

Age Range:

3-4

Level:

2

Goal:

Building memory and color recognition.

Thank you!

Toxic Earth is a three-dimensional data visualization that displays the spread of air pollution and its causes. Specific data on the state of the environment is rarely shared with the public in an understandable, global manner. This is detrimental to everyone's perception of climate change and what is causing it. According to National Geographic, nearly 2.5 million people die worldwide each year from the effects of air pollution. Toxic Earth aims to spread awareness of the severity of air pollution.

Thesis

By Siena Jekel & Lily Smith

Computing in the Community

Precedents

MRI of the Earth

Aaron Koblin- Flight Patterns

Android Diversity

Sketches

when was this made and how did we get past the scale and whys that concerning?

CO2 Data(1900-2020)

Fire Data(2012-2021)

AQI Data(2014-2021)

Data Sources

Geometry

2d greyscale texture

Displaced geometry

Displacement

Ideation

UI Elements

Historical data slider

Selection slider

Refresh button

Enable Data

Current year

Data Details

Blueprint

Coloring

• Creating a better system of filtering data
• Having data for countries that we currently don't have
• Having a downloadable app
• Creating a future forecast
• Adding more data sets

Next Steps

THANKS!

What is dyslexia?

Reading is complex. It requires our brains to connect letters to sounds, put those sounds in the right order, and pull the words together into sentences and paragraphs we can read and comprehend.

People with dyslexia have trouble matching the letters they see on the page with the sounds those letters and combinations of letters make. And when they have trouble with that step, all the other steps are harder.

While people with dyslexia are slow readers, they often, paradoxically, are very fast and creative thinkers with strong reasoning abilities. -Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity

How common is dyslexia?

20%

"Multisensory learning involves the use of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic-tactile pathways simultaneously to enhance memory and learning of written language."

Learning Disability Association of Utah

"Many students with dyslexia benefit from tactile activities so they can rely on more than just words on a page while learning to read."

Waterford.org

DexiBlocks is a learning material designed for students with dyslexia. The tool is to help people with dyslexia learn how to read and write by interacting with letters in 3D, the same way letters are interpreted in their brains. Dyslexia affects 20% of the population and 80% of students who do not learn how to read drop out of school.

Dexiblocks is intended for educators to be able to aid students who have a difficult time learning to read. DexiBlocks is a hands-on tool that allows students with dyslexia to learn to read while enjoying the fun of building blocks. The blocks are made out of wood and connect through tactile magnets. They come together to form letters and in turn words.



Open Innovation

Build

Market

Session One Project

Skills:

Simple acts of joy and compassion can make the biggest difference in people's lives. With the creation of a fun bench, Humorous Bench was made to make the occupants of Central Square just a little bit happier. And hopes to inspire them to pass on joy to others.

Architecture & Design

Woodworking

Why NuVu?

• Re-imagining a space
• Encourage thinking
• Changing perspective
• Amusing aspect

Innovation

Obvious Bus Stop, Baltimore

Design

Empathy

Impact

Concept: Iteration 1

}

Concept: Iteration 2

Joy

Movement

NuVu

Disseminate

Interaction

Information

Impact

Inspiration

Concept: Iteration 3

Inspiration

Interaction

Transform

Project Statement

“Modular Works” is a four part bench installation with four modular seats including five varying heights. With these varying settings, “Modular Works” works for everyone, with the versatility of being a standing desk or a short bench. It uses the modular movement of the benches to encourage users to interact with each other as well as share information. This is made possible by allowing people to freely deface the benches which are covered in a whiteboard chalk spray so their designs can be viewed by all.

Design Process

French Cleats

Triangle Support

Seating Slats

Seat Base

Components

[EVOCATIVE IMAGE]

THISIS STATEMENT

Conversations about emotions are often centered around negative emotions and reducing them as opposed to highlighting and creating positive ones. To emphasize and focus on the happy parts of people's life visually, Luminal uses light's variability and other mediums, to express and share moments of joy based on physical interaction and changes through an installation that encourages the interaction and engagement of a community.

Precedents

Starry Night; Seaport, Boston

Sway/Snarkitecture

2015 Serpentine Pavilion/Selgas Cano

2015 Serpentine Pavilion + AI images

[MOODBOARD]

Why the Hallway?

space diagram of where people pass through

During the research and development phase, we sent out a survey to the students of NuVu asking where they spend most of their time during the day.

With the results of the survey, we pinpointed the most popular responses and realized the area to get to those three spaces would have the most impact and visual interaction.

[SPACE EVAL.]

Sketches/ iterations

SKETCHES

[SKETCH MODELS]

SKETCH MODELS

[USE CASE DIAGRAM]

[USE CASE DIAGRAM]

*Final Photos

Ping pong intervention

[INTERVENTION: INTERACTION]

process photos

tubes + lights+ 3d printed end pieces

[DESIGN + CONSTRUCTION]

Design process

-rhino model + small scaled model

With these field observations, we brought it back to a smaller scale in Rhino, and started finalizing our design. 

*Final Photos

Final image 1 

-installing the tubes

*Final Video

final images of installation in the space

Thesis Statment

Using a phone and accessing information on the slopes is a major inconvenience that skiers need to confront whenever they ski. SkiHUD is a heads-up-display that allows skiers to see information that would normally require significant effort to access, such as speed, location or temperature. In this way, SkiHUD grants a higher level of awareness on the slopes, and allows for easier movement around the mountain.

Precedent Research-



NUVIZ motorcycle heads up display

NUVIZ Motorcycle Heads Up Display is a perfect precedent to try to recreate as a ski accessory, as it creates non distracting HUD display that I want to use as inspiration. Its simplicity is something that I want to imitate in my final prototype.

Precedent Research-



Quest 2 VR Headset Passthrough

Meta's Quest 2 can be used as an AR substitute to a complete HUD display. Because of the Quest 2's passthrough capabilities, it works as a perfect vessel to test the same data that would be displayed on the SkiHUD.

Precedent Research-



Oakley Airwave 1.5 Augmented Display Snow Goggles

The Oakley Airwave 1.5 Augmented Display Snow Goggles is a precedent that gives me a great starting point to improve on. The user reviews give good insight about safety and important information to display.

OI Timeline

VR Prototype (1st Iteration)

New Materials (2nd iteration)

Transparent OLED Screen

Arduino Uno

BerryGPS

Moving Forward

Shrink size of display

Add backpack for Arduino/processing, mount BerryGPS to helmet

Make a true HUD, not a screen

Custom helmet?

Feedback

Is a helmet-based visor more effective compared to a goggle-based one?



How willing would you be to have your helmet connected to a backpack when you ski/ride?

Yggdrasil

Paint the Walls

Moss Box

Luminal

Modular Works

Paint the Walls

Design by Finn and Aveen. The goal is to decorate the NuVu space with meaningful illustrations about the studio experience, and spread out student work to more effectively showcase it. 

Paint The Walls

Many students here came to NuVu partially because of their interest in art, and this is not demonstrated anywhere as the walls are bland.

Why NuVu?

Final photo image here

Yggdrasil

The goal for Yggdrasil is to showcase projects that best represent NuVu's core values(Innovation, Empathy, Design, Impact) as well as to bring attention to the currently disorganized, poorly designed project wall that is constructed near the front door.

Yggdrasil

Nuvu is a sanctuary for creativity and innovation, and the students that learn here produce impressive and impactful work every day. Sadly, most of these projects go under the radar as after the final presentation they get swept and have no place to be appreciated. Currently, the project wall is disorganized and does not display and showcase the best of NuVu. As new students here at NuVu innovation school, we thought that this was inappropriate and sought to improve the space by adding our input into what could replace the boring, out-of-place glass shelves in use today.

Why NuVu?

Final photo image here

*Final Photos

Moss Box

Moss Box  

Jer Nierenberg and Lloyd Graves

Project Goal

Improve the air quality in the room referred to as the Fishbowl by adding a smart self watering vertical moss planter

Process Photos 

Project Name

Modular Works

Modular Works

Bodhi & Trevor

Session One Project

Skills:

Simple acts of joy and compassion can make the biggest difference in people's lives. With the creation of a fun bench, Humorous Bench was made to make the occupants of Central Square just a little bit happier. And hopes to inspire them to pass on joy to others.

Architecture & Design

Woodworking

Why NuVu?

• Re-imagining a space
• Encourage thinking
• Changing perspective
• Amusing aspect

Innovation

Obvious Bus Stop, Baltimore

Design

Empathy

Impact

Concept: Iteration 1

}

Concept: Iteration 2

Joy

Movement

NuVu

Disseminate

Interaction

Information

Impact

Inspiration

Concept: Iteration 3

Inspiration

Interaction

Transform

Project Statement

“Modular Works” is a four part bench installation with four modular seats including five varying heights. With these varying settings, “Modular Works” works for everyone, with the versatility of being a standing desk or a short bench. It uses the modular movement of the benches to encourage users to interact with each other as well as share information. This is made possible by allowing people to freely deface the benches which are covered in a whiteboard chalk spray so their designs can be viewed by all.

Design Process

French Cleats

Triangle Support

Seating Slats

Seat Base

Components

Luminal

KUNAL BOTLA & LALITA BELLACH

NUVU INNOVATION SCHOOL

LUMINAL

[ADD FULL BLEAD BACKGROUND IMAGE]

Project Statement

Luminal is an interactive and adaptive light installation that takes inspiration from joyous moments. This project can be perceived as almost a “reset button” and bring more attention to underutilized spaces. It also focuses on bringing more attention to areas that are passed through constantly to encourage people to slow down and stay in the moment.

Luminal is made up of a collection of simple 3-dimensional shapes hung from the ceiling so that viewers are able to pass under the installation giving an almost “wondrous” effect. The collection of velum tubes has strings of programmed LED lights that brighten with color after sensing people walking underneath. This creates compelling visuals to transform the hallway and makes the space feel more alive. The heavy-weight paper material also diffuses the light for a smoother and calmer experience.

2015 Serpentine Pavilion + AI images

Moodboard!

We chose to reimagine a part of the Nuvu space for reasons that have been mentioned in previous projects. We wanted elements that triggered positive emotions for students to feel joy and belonging as they walk through the installation.

"Why NuVu?"

• Creating positive emotions
• Enable community
• Slow down 
• Enhance through color

theses are the early sketches before having the finalized site exploring the different options and opportunities the create and improve different spaces.

"Why the Hallway?"

space diagram of where people pass through

During the research and development phase, we sent out a survey to the students of NuVu asking where they spend most of their time during the day.

Taking the results of the survey, we pinpointed the most popular responses and realized the area to get to those three spaces would have the most impact and visual interaction.

Sketches/ iterations

In order to create the most appropriate design for joy and slowing down, we found research that explains our design choices.

For example, shapes that can break down a narrow hallway can result in students pacing themselves and making more conversation, and creativity.

therefore, we started creating small scaled sketch models to experiment with different forms.

Ping pong intervention

Then we decided to experiment with a design intervention in the actual space to understand how people would interact with a new element incorporated in the space.

As you can see, students had a positive interactive experience with this new playful element.

Design process

-rhino model + small scaled model

With these field observations, we brought it back to a smaller scale in Rhino, and started finalizing our design. 

Final image 1 

-installing the tubes

This is the final prototype of Luminal lights turned off. You can see the different elements that make it work, which I will explain in the next slide.

process photos

tubes + lights+ 3d printed end pieces

Here you can the prototyping process for the different elements incorporated into the final design. we have the 3d printed pieces that go on each side of the tubes, which have channels for the string when they are installed in the space, and we the arduino with the programmed lights and sensors.

here are the final photos showing the colorful lights in affect and getting brighter as people pass by for a compelling visual interaction

Thank you!

Thesis.

The H.A.N.D. is a 3d-printable combination wrist, knuckle, and finger brace, used to assist in the struggles that come with hypermobility disorders. People with hypermobility disorders experience a great deal of pain when performing fine motor activities like writing, drawing, or typing, and this project has assisted greatly in alleviating that pain. The H.A.N.D. consists of four sections: a wrist cuff, two hand plates, and several finger braces separate to the primary system. All four sections reduce mobility in their respective parts to a level approximately equal to a non-hypermobile person.

Thesis Statement



94% of people quit their coding projects because it can be hard and confusing. We want to stop this devastating issue by teaching people to code properly in a fun and immersive way. Coding can be a rewarding pastime, but without proper training, people quit and don't get to experience the satisfying ending of polishing a project. We are designing this game for anyone who wants to have fun and learn to code at the same time. Our demographic is for kids ages 12 - 15, but anyone can find value in this game.

Why Does This Matter

First of all coding helps your problem solving skills. According to sciencedirect when 6-5 year olds participated in a coding environment they developed more mathematical and problem solving skills. 

Precedents

Technical Precedent:

Tactile Code Blocks

Conceptual Precedent:

Super Mario Bros

Aspirational Precedent:

Else Heart.Break()

Paper Sketches

This is how the commands that the players write are called. 

Paper Prototype

Paper Prototype

Digital Prototype

Storyboard

The teacher character shows you how to code.

This is the protagonist that you control.

You can use the abilities you code to progress through the game.

In this box, you can program special abilities for your player.

Level One -- Learning The Ropes

Testing