Kids Interactive Play System ( KIPS ) 10 Nov Hardware Testfitted

[Martijn]

I felt some itch to make something , but due to my work i cant make a huge project.

Still i feel like sharing it. After all, we all like  

And i still have many items left from my older projects including a 15 inch touchscreen

Its a simple Kid Interactive Play System (KIPS). Most important rule is basic and childproof for a 1.5 and a 3 year old.

Here some basic renders

Size is from front top to bottom and left to right 49 cm x 49 cm
total dept is 10 cm !

using 1,8cm think mdf and black laminate.
Red tmolding.
The black laminate will be covered with theme of choice or colors using stickers







Pc specs :

- Zotac ION ITX A - mini ITX (atom dual core and integrated wifi and psu)
- 2 Gb Ram (2x1gb) Kingston ValueRAM
- WD Caviar Blue WD2500AAKS - 250 GB - intern - 3.5" - SATA-300 - 7200 rpm -buffer: 16 MB
- Elo 15 inch touchscreen
- a webcam i still have left over (maybe)
- Some basic speaker

Audio will be controlled on screen or remote

[Silas (son of Silas)]

Very cool idea. I would be very twitchy giving very young kids anything with a web can in it tho'

[Turnarcades]

A very nice idea over those crappy, overpriced 'kid's computers' you see being pushed out these days. My advice would be:

• Split your touch screen panel from the monitor display, and layer either glass or a thick sheet of plexi between them. Kids are heavy-handed, and this will save damage to the screen like bruises or the like.
• Make a more stable design than something that hangs on the wall or can be placed flat and end up with a kid's full weight on it. Maybe a wedge-shape would be better so the unit has a nice flat base, then an angled screen and back.
• Whatever you add, make sure the system has nice, big touch areas to make it easier to use for infants with less co-ordination than adults.

[Silas (son of Silas)]

..for infants with less co-ordination than adults.

And enjoy your infants being young enough not to have sufficient co-ordination to whoop your butt at Ms. Pac-man to the point where night after night you try to beat their score but never come close.
... or is that just how it is in my house?

[Martijn]

Thanks for the tips Turnarcades.

I have been looking at these ideas

http://www.ikcplay.com/lang-en/component/virtuemart/?page=shop.browse&category_id=3

the Oscar comes close to what i like.

What i came up with will be very strong to the wall. with only 10 cm depth i think it will be ok.
My children are very caring btw. I have high end audio video equipment in the living room and they don't dare to touch it, when i had the street fighter cab they where very carefull with it.

The ole screen protection is maybe a good idea, but its made for rough handling cause it was for a photobooth.

No ideas yet for the OS part

i did came up with a key turn on part, something like this

[Martijn]

I have cut out the main pieces and started drawing the main lines for the screen position

[kizer]

What are you using for software? I'd love to build one of these for my boy.

[Martijn]

I have good experience with meedio www.meedios.com its very touchscreen friendly and has mediacenter options for easy video and music listening.
It also can launch applications for games and drawing programs.

I am creating a skin for it with big simple navigation. Oh and you can set a pin code to options he shouldn't open.

here's a shot of the menu i am making, its a start ..



And here is the front panel cut to shape.




Sorry for the bad picture quality, my digicam is broken, i have already ordered a new one. Next pictures will be better

[Franco B]

Looking good Martijn 

[beastathon]

I think that would be a really good idea mounting a webcam in the back of the system so they could take it around the house and take photos. I personally think that would be really cool, don't scrap that idea.

[Martijn]

lol, its way to heavy to move around. It will have a perm placement on the wall

[Martijn]

Got my hardware so i can see if my calculations are right. And they are 

The screen will sink 1cm more in dept and so will the speaker, then i have 7 cm left for the mainboard + cpu fan
the board is 5 cm only so thats good, the box of the mainboard says it can run without a fan. But i will use it.

And i got a new digicam















P.s. Whats wrong with this editor, screen keeps popping up and down