April 2, is the World Autism Awareness Day
In the United States, 1 in 68 children are born with autism spectrum disorder. Children with autism who have learning and development disabilities represent a higher number than all other disabilities combined. In the United States alone, more than 6.4% of children have special needs in terms of cognitive, motor and sensory skills. Parents and therapists struggle to advance their children because it is so difficult to find tools that motivate, challenge and engage them in their learning journey.
IF WE GIVE ROBOTIC COMPANIONS TO CHILDREN, CAN WE SPARK INTERACTION & MOTIVATION TO LEARN, PLAY & PROGRESS?
Leka, has developed an interactive, multi-senorial spherical robot that captures the attention of children to better motivate them and involve them in educational activities . Parents and therapists of children with special needs often find it difficult to help them engage with their environment and progress in different areas of learning. Leka is packed with lights, sounds and vibrations designed to appeal to children, while a wide array of sensors help track their progress. It's a fun way to keep kids with special needs interested and motivated at home and in therapy.
Because we believe that supporting the development of a disruptive technology is key to change the world with a positive impact on health & well being, LEKA have been accelerated for more than 2 years.
Here is where Leka started its journey and how it grew up with the 3DEXPERIENCE Lab:
February 2020:
Their electronics design office finished the routing of the robot (the drawing of the electrical circuits in a specialized software). They are now embarking on the next step to verify their correct design.
This work will take two weeks, as it is necessary to validate that the 175 components are correctly connected to each other and that the 208 pins of the microcontroller (the "brain" of Leka) are properly connected to the components.
March 2020:
They had their 3 main objectives:
- Test the assembly
- Test the integration of the electronic boards
- Test the solidity
They have also ordered the different electronic boards and components from their suppliers. They will keep us informed of their reception and of their first tests!
May 2020:
They take another look at the industrialization of little Leka!
After their first 3D print, they were able to test a lot of aspects, from the strength to the ease of assembly to the integration of the electronic boards. They were able to make many adjustments to make the design even better! A new set of parts is currently being manufactured.
In parallel, and as they speak, they are testing the motors. The objective is to make them work continuously in order to simulate hundreds of hours of use to analyze the wear of the parts.
June 2020:
→ First of all, a progress update is needed on industrialization. Despite the global health crisis they are experiencing, all internal and external teams collaborating on the project have continued their activities. Although there have been some changes in the order of tasks, they are not behind schedule at this time. Production and first deliveries are still scheduled for the end of the year.
→ Big news, the batteries! The technical team visited another adapted enterprise (EA) of APF Enterprises, APF 34 in Montpellier. Their specialty is the custom manufacturing of high-end batteries. Leka are very happy to have been able to collaborate internally with APF 34 to create the battery that will be in your little Leka robot!
July 2020:
These last few weeks have been marked by many advances in Leka’s industrialization process and each day brings us a little closer to the release of our little #Leka! They are looking forward to seeing it arrive at the end of the year.
In August they will put social networks on pause to devote themselves even more to technical development and prepare for the fall with the passage of standards and certifications.
September 2020:
It was back to school time for little Leka.
All the components of the robot have been tested and validated. They have gone from simple electronic cards to an interconnected whole. All this will generate Leka's ultra-cool functions, such as emitting vibrations and sounds. Enough to stimulate children and allow professionals to accompany them through play!
It's going to be a studious start for Leka, which is going to undergo further tests, including standards relating to the safety and proper functioning of the robot. The respect of international regulations is very important, and as a good student, Leka must be exemplary especially to have the toy standard!
