Tactile Enrichment Frummelspeelgoed by Ruoyou Zhou

Tactile Enrichment Frummelspeelgoed by Ruoyou Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award in Yster in Speelgoed-, Speletjie- en Stokperdjieprodukte Ontwerp Competition Category.

YsterSpeelgoed· 2026

Tactile Enrichment Frummelspeelgoed

by Ruoyou Zhou

Client: Ruoyou Zhou

A' Design Award in Yster Winner in Speelgoed Category

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Verified Award Winner

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Tactile Enrichment Frummelspeelgoed

Taktiele Verryking is 'n reeks frummelspeelgoed wat op die tassin fokus. Die reeks bestaan uit vyf kubusse, elk met afmetings van 50 by 50 by 50 millimeter. Elke kubus word van 'n enkele materiaal gemaak: klei, leer, metaal, hout of stof. Dieselfde driedimensionele patroon word op al vyf kubusse aangebring, sodat die verskil tussen materiale met die hand gevoel kan word. Elke materiaal het 'n ander gewig, temperatuur en reuk. Die kubusse kan vasgehou en mee gespeel word terwyl die oë besig is en die hande vry is. Die doel is om afhanklikheid van sig te verminder en aan die tassin 'n groter rol in die daaglikse ervaring te gee.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award in Yster

Tactile Enrichment Frummelspeelgoed is 'n wenner van die A' Design Award in Yster, 'n prestigieuse erkenning wat toegeken word aan goeie ontwerpe wat voldoen aan die professionele en industriële vereistes wat van goed ontwerpte skeppings verwag word. Wenners in Yster toon groot vaardigheid, hoë spesialisasie, kundige begrip en die kreatiewe vermoë van hul skeppers. Daar word verwag dat Tactile Enrichment Frummelspeelgoed 'n hoog aangeskrewe, bewonderde en gekoesterde skepping is wat prakties en innoverend is. Hierdie ontwerp wat die A' Design Award in Yster gewen het, integreer die beste praktyke in die bedryf en het bekwame tegniese kenmerke gekoppel aan kundigheid en talent. Tactile Enrichment Frummelspeelgoed word gerespekteer vir sy deeglikheid en is ontwerp om verbeterings in lewensgehalte te bied wat help om die wêreld 'n beter plek te maak.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: We understand the world through our five senses, receiving emotions and information every day. This project is a series of fidget toys that rethink our sensory habits, which often rely too much on vision. It shifts the focus to touch. The same pattern is made from different materials, allowing users to feel variations in texture and resistance with their hands. By reducing visual input, the work highlights how touch and other senses can become the main source of experience and emotion.
Dimensions & Packaging: 50 × 50 × 50 mm .five pieces.
Tags: Fidget toy, Without Visual Dependence, Touch, Smell, Series, Mixed materials, Toy, Playful
Production Technology: Five materials were used, clay, leather, metal, wood, and fabric. Three dimensional textures were shaped into each material. Then the materials were cut into small pieces and attached to the cube. This required constant checking to ensure every piece fit perfectly after assembly. Each cube has six sides, and I made five cubes in total, like completing a 120 piece collage puzzle in different materials.
Design Challenge: The biggest challenge was repetitive work and making sure every piece fit perfectly. To avoid gaps after assembly, each material piece had to be sanded by hand. For the metal cube, thin and hard stainless steel was used. After many trials, I chose laser cutting to shape the pieces, then filled the gaps with putty and finished with spray paint. The most enjoyable process was sewing the leather cube, marking, punching holes, stitching, and tying the thread. I truly enjoyed each step.
Research: This project explores tactile experience without relying on sight. About 83 percent of the information we receive comes from vision. When reliance on vision is reduced, the other senses become stronger and more memorable. At the exhibition, visitors could freely touch and play with the objects and write down their thoughts on each material. The interactive display received positive feedback, as interaction is part of the research and the work serves as a bridge between me and the audience.
Inspiration: In daily life, we often play with small objects to ease anxiety or boredom, clicking a pen or turning keys in our hands. Fidget toys were created from this behavior. Based on this and my research on the five senses, I designed this series using different materials to explore new possibilities. Enrichment in animal care means providing toys or spaces to reduce stress and improve well being. As humans living in concrete cities, we also face stress. This design asks whether we also need enrichment.
Project Duration: In April 2023, I began researching the five senses, touch, sight, hearing, taste, and smell. In July 2024, I focused on the relationship between objects, people, and interaction. By July 2025, I was testing materials and making prototypes, selecting five for further development. Fabrication began in November 2025. The work was completed in February 2026 and presented at the 2026 graduation exhibition of Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts.
Operation Flow: These objects can be held and played with while watching TV, talking, or even during meetings under the table, any moment when the eyes are busy but the hands are free. The key idea is to enrich touch without relying on vision. Each material has a different weight, temperature, and even smell. Even with the same pattern, different materials create completely different tactile experiences.