Product innovation
UK's first electronic playground goes live
Children in Barrow, Cumbria, have just become the first in the UK to trial a new electronic playground technology.
i.play has been designed to offer an innovative response to the growing problem of childhood obesity and provide an attractive exercise option for children whose idea of fun has more to do with videogames than sport.
The i.play unit installed at Barrow Park is a UK-first, and was developed by playground products specialist, Playdale. Its design is based on research commissioned from Loughborough University spin-out company, Progressive Sports Technologies.
i.play works by using the videogame method of issuing the player with a sequence of instructions or tasks which must then be completed by physical activities.
These tasks, issued via an embedded LED screen, involve single or multiple players running, jumping and twisting to interact with special ‘activity switches’ situated on the i.play system.
i.play has been designed with the full rigours of the playground in mind and is robust enough to be vandal resistant. Although developed for a core 8-14 age group, the system is suitable for adult involvement and for use by wheelchair users as well as visually and hearing impaired players. Actions are dictated by audio and visual commands from the central LED console and the activity switches themselves.
High, mid and low height activity switches ensure a whole body aerobic workout that helps build muscular strength, stamina, co-ordination, reaction times and agility. The fully inclusive device will also intelligently adapt to players’ performance, for example if high switches are beyond the reach of a smaller child.
A number of further i.play installations are planned to take place at public sites throughout the UK over the summer. Locations include Reading, Leicester, Rhyl, Kildare and Peterborough.