Concepts like Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and 3-D are trickling down from hardcore industrial applications to the classroom. Arguably, the fastest selling brand in Science Toys category in Hamleys, the world's largest chain of toy shops, is the result of Made-in-India creativity from the Delhi-based Smartivity Labs.
With a sharp focus on STEM Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and a dash of Art added this educational technology startup has created suites of tech-driven toys for various age groups from 3 to 14. Using tools like VR, AR, Robotics and Internet of Things, Smartivity developers, many coming from IITs, the National Institute of Design, JJ School of Art and National Institute of Fashion Technology, have created cool toys that teach.
Smartivity creative team
One example shows how: Smartivity's digital coloring books allow children to select from a library of animals, plants and things and create coloured drawings. Then the creatures they create an elephant for example becomes a 3-D image to which you can add sound effects and movement..... smoothly introducing the child to augmented reality. A video explains the concept when you download the Smartivity app here.
Founded in 2015 by Tushar Amin, Ashwini Kumar, Rajat Jain and Apoorv Gupta, Smartivity has touched 5 lakh children, driving home the concepts of science and maths with cutting edge tech tools. The well known Indian text book publisher S Chand was an early investor, neatly bridging the divide between old world and new generation learning.
Having tested the waters in India for two years, Smartivity announced earlier this month that it is expanding with a local presence in markets like USA, Australia, Spain and Portugal..... reimagining traditional activities for children like colouring sheets and Jigsaw puzzles for a new Internet-savvy generation of kids.