This project includes a semester long research journey of surveillance tools and child care techniques for parents to project and micromanage their children. Cybernetic prosthetic built for children to keep children safe. Parents of young children can now be relaxed 24/7. Speculative project to create discussions and conversations around ethical design.

I wanted to explore the design process of a speculative/conceptual design. My main inspiration was from the population surge of surveillance devices in China, where they monitor children in grade school to see how focused they are during class. I was also inspired by the show “Black Mirror”, specifically the episode “Arkangel”. This device is an arm band in which the child will wear throughout the day so that the parent(s) will be able to monitor the child and their activity throughout the duration of them wearing the device. Some key concepts: the device has a LED screen for the children to play games as well as for the parents. There are buttons for the children to use to play games on their device. The parents will also have a separate app on their smartphones to monitor their child.

The name "MyKid-netic" is essentially a play on words by combining the word "My kid" with "cybernetic". This device monitors a child but the parent is in control. The device is worn by the child 24/7, almost becoming a part of them, a part of who they are. Cybernetic describes an automated technology and with this project I wanted to raise the scenario of children being in contact with technology and the combination of the two.

Due to the anxiety parents might feel about sending their kids off to school, playgrounds, or wherever they are out of their sight, this surveillance arm band will keep the anxiety at bay and keep children safe.

This arm band is a monitoring system for parents to keep an eye on their children 24/7. It comes with parental controls as well as games for children. Some rough sketches of what the band might look like. Trying out different ideas regarding visual aesthetics.