Leikki

Leikki means play in Finnish. Designed as a board gaming companion to help users with developing or impaired motor skills accomplish simple gaming tasks, such as holding cards and rolling dice. Leikki features and ergonomic design and encourages users to increase their cognitive and social exercises through the act of board gaming.

A Gaming Friend

Board games and the experiences of playing games with family and friends have been shown to help cognitive development at early ages, as well as cognitive retention at advanced ages. Leikki's is designed to help players of all ages to game more often. It offers a pleasing form and experience that any player is sure to enjoy.

Dice Roller

Leikki features a unique dice rolling mechanic. Dice are inserted into the cup portion of Leikki. Then the user pushes down, actuating a spring loaded door, which roll the dice down into the lower portion of Leikki. When Leikki is removed, the dice are revealed.

Card Holder

Leikki can be laid on its side, revealing a tiered card holder. Many current card holders rely on physically gripping the cards, which can eventually cause permanent damage to the cards. Instead, Leikki incorporates soft felt slots, which gently hold cards in place. The tiered card slots also allow users to sort the cards in their hands more easily.

Form Study

Deciding upon a form that would be distinctive but also comfortable for users was the first step in designing Leikki.

Ergonomics

When designing Leikki, ergonomics were a top priority. Since Leikki is designed for users with limited motor functions, the design needed to be not only comfortable, but easily picked up and manipulated. Several ergonomic test models were produced and tested by a wide range of users before settling on Leikki's final, curved design.

Prototype

A working prototype was constructed for Leikki's unique dice rolling mechanism. The prototype was 3D printed and provided perfectly randomized rolls every time.