Playgrounds transformed into video games? Hybrid Play is making it happen
The connection between playgrounds and video games might not seem obvious at first. While both are designed to play and enjoy your time, the one is based on physical actions while the other is more of a psychological experience. Hybrid Play is a project that has been in development since 2008 aimed at bridging that gap. Key here is the Hybrid Play device, basically a clip filled with sensors and equipped with Bluetooth to pair with a phone.
On the phone (just Android right now, iOS app is being worked on) you then download the Hybrid Play app (filled with free games) which works together with the device. The clip can then be connected to different pieces of equipment found in a playground. While one or more kids play on the equipment, someone else can play on the phone and the two teams will have to work together to complete the game. You really have to check out the video to see how something like that might work. The project is open-source, relying heavily on the community. The developers say the key in this project is working together with kids, thousands of kids of varying cultures, to get new ideas and ways to improve the experience.
In the coming weeks, Hybrid Play will be getting its own Indiegogo crowd funding campaign. The final product is set to release in Spring 2015.
Playgrounds transformed into video games? Hybrid Play is making it happen,
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