Hide and Seek Backpack

My project is looking back to my childhood and examining the way a child views the world and how it gets away from it. The backpack I created allows the child to escape the boring world and transport themselves to whatever they create or view in the backpack. LEDS will be placed inside to further enhance the effect of being taken to another world or a galaxy far away. The backpack will be a pod the covers the head and shoulders of the child so they are in complete darkness except for the LEDs that reference the galaxies. Once they are inside the pod backpack they are invisible to the outside world and can stay inside this dreamworld for as long as they like. Since the backpack is mobile and can be taken anywhere, the child can transport/ escape the world anywhere they choose. The pod when closed acts like a trigger to enter their imagination, and gives and child a sense of protection and concealment. To use the Hide and seek backpack the user wears it like any other regular backpack by placing the straps around his or her shoulders. The pod when not over the child’s head looks like a closed roof of a baby carriage with its series of wire semi- circles and folded crumpled fabric linking them together. When the child wants to enter their imaginary world and hide from the real world, they simply jerk their body forward which flips the dome over their head and initiates the LEDs to turn on. To the ones not wearing the pod it causes much curiosity, I choose the backpack format because it encourages other children either at school or in the play ground to try it as well and to have their own experience with the hide and seek backpack.

Interaction scenario

Child places Hide and Seek Backpack on
Wears the object throughout the day
Once they would like a break from the day, Jerk body forward to vortex themselves into their dream world inside the galaxy created in the pod
Once they have fulfilled their “imagination journey”, place the pod back in its closed position
Continue on their daily activities or pass on to a friend so they can experience their own imagination journey

Technical Sketches






This object enriches the life of its users by allowing them to enter whatever physical state they like, as of now I'm not sure how a child will react to the piece. Ideally though i hope that this object will bring the user to a place of wonder and imagination where they can expand their brain and develop story telling skills and explore their sub-conscious mind. I feel that todays society does not support imagination and is completely emerged in what is true and what is scientifically correct. Exploring ones imagination can expand the mind and help a child and even adult experience joy and happiness. As an only child myself i often had to create my own fun, I often created forts, hubs and spaces in my home that transported me into my imagination, this backpack will create this hub anywhere the child desires.

Maquetts



Testing out fabrics- Felt too thick, but i want a fabric that is opaque and relatively thick( possibly doubled) so the LEDs can be supported without sagging the fabric.

Technical Information

The object will be created out of fabric and a thick metal wire to create the supports for the dome structure. I would like to use a nylon taffeta ( fabric used in umbrellas) with some sort of acrylic coating therefore it can be water resistant. The liner would be a dark blackout fabric to enhance the feeling of the galaxy even in outside daylight. The metal wire would have to be light and fairly flexible but also have a certain amount of rigidity. The wire semi-circles would all threaded through a ring which is attached to the shoulder straps. The straps are reenforced with padding to ensure the backpack is comfortable to wear. The straps will either be done with the nylon or the liner fabric to save overall costs of the piece.
The fabric will be bought at the Fabricville near Place des Arts metro. As for the metal i will be speaking to a metal technician as what is the best type of metal to use and where to buy it. I will be fabricating the piece at the sensor lab using the sewing machines and technical advice on how to fasten the LEDs to my piece.

Research

I was very much inspired by the paper environment bag from the Fashion Technology blog

I also saw the way my little cousin interacted with this chair and how much she loved it

The chair is from a past children collection at IKEA