Press Release
Yoyo Ball and App by Junru Xu, Zhongqi Fu and Zixi Liu Wins the A' Design Award in Mobile Technologies, Applications and Software Design
Junru Xu, Zhongqi Fu and Zixi Liu of DirecTV acknowledged for mobile technologies, applications and software design by the international grand jury of the 2023 - 2024 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 17, 2024 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Yoyo Ball and App by Junru Xu, Zhongqi Fu and Zixi Liu of DirecTV has been granted the A' Design Award in the Mobile Technologies, Applications and Software Design category. The award was conferred within the 2023 - 2024 A' Design Award & Competition and was determined through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who evaluated anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
What the A' Design Award Means
The Iron A' Design Award is awarded to good designs that meet the rigorous professional and industrial standards set by the A' Design Awards. This recognition is reserved for works that demonstrate a solid understanding of design principles and show creativity within their execution. Recipients of the Iron A' Design Award are acknowledged for their practical innovations and contributions to their respective fields, providing solutions that improve quality of life and foster positive change. These designs are a testament to the skill and dedication of their creators, showcasing their ability to address real-world challenges through thoughtful design.
More About Yoyo Ball and App
Yoyo is a communication device and mobile application designed for children and parents who live apart. The Yoyo device is a real yo-yo ball that measures 10 by 10 by 4.5 centimeters and is made of plastic, metal and cotton. Real-time voice messaging allows children and parents to speak across distance. A touch sensor on the back collects health data such as heart rate and stress level. The device also serves as a table stand. The parent application presents health insights and support based on artificial intelligence.
About Junru Xu, Zhongqi Fu and Zixi Liu
Junru (Jennie) Xu stands out as an exceptional award-winning product designer and UX lead, boasting eight years of rich experience in product design, user experience, and human-computer interaction. Her remarkable UX design initiatives, particularly those with a focus on social impact, have earned her prestigious accolades, including Asia Design Awards, the Muse Design Awards, London Design Awards, and the first prize from Chicago Women in Architecture.
About DirecTV
DirecTV, established on June 17, 1994, is an American multichannel video programming distributor headquartered in El Segundo, California. It initially gained prominence by offering digital satellite television services across the United States.
Award Record
With this recognition, Junru Xu, Zhongqi Fu and Zixi Liu of DirecTV is a winner of 1 A' Design Award.
About the A' Mobile Technologies, Applications and Software Design Award
The A' Mobile Design Award is an international design competition recognizing good design in mobile industry by leading designers and brands worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to mobile designers, application developers, software engineers and user interface designers from all countries. Typical entries include smartphones, tablets, wearables, mobile applications, mobile games and mobile software. The awarded mobile designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/mobile
About A' Design Award & Competition
Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is to advance society through good design, by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, uploading a work and receiving a preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://designers.org/157710
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/157710
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!157710
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/352458
- Further Information from the Laureate: https://ta-design-studio.webflow.io/
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Yoyo Ball and App
- Function
- Ball and App
- Category
- Mobile Technologies, Applications and Software Design
- Discipline
- Communication Design
- Industry
- Software and Electronics & Appliances
- Colors
- Lavender, Light Steel Blue, Light Gray, Pink and Pale Turquoise
- Images
- 5
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Junru Xu, Zhongqi Fu and Zixi Liu
- Country
- United States of America
- Brand
- DirecTV
- Recognition
- A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2023 - 2024
- Design ID
- #157710
Credits
- Team
- Junru Xu, Zhongqi Fu, Zixi Liu and Yiwen Chen
- Image Credits
- [; HMW Design Studio, HEAR ME theme Photo, 2024.] [; TA Design Studio, Yoyo mobile UI 1, 2024.] [; TA Design Studio, Yoyo image UI 2, 2024.] [; TA Design Studio, Yoyo image UI 3, 2024.] [; TA Design Studio Yoyo image UI 4, 2024.]
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Yoyo targets challenges in environments with time-strapped parents, mitigating potential mental health issues in children. We aim to support parents, nurture relationships, and ensure optimal care for each child's well-being. Primary users include "left-behind" children and their parents in China, while secondary users encompass families needing child interaction support.
- Inspiration
- In 2020, China had 71.09 million migrant children and 66.93 million left-behind children, affecting 138 million children (46.4% of the total child population) due to population migration. The lack of accompanying, support, and communication from parents makes them feel abandoned by the parents, and they have difficulty integrating into society, bringing severe mental health.
- Research
- Primary users include "left-behind" children and their parents while secondary users encompass families needing child interaction support. Left-behind children aged 0-17 experience prolonged parent absence due to work-related travel, leading to challenges in integration, mental health, and strained family relationships. In 2020, China had 71.09 million migrant children and 66.93 million left-behind children, affecting 138 million children (46.4% of the total child population) due to population migration. The lack of accompanying, support, and communication from parents makes them feel abandoned by the parents, and they have difficulty integrating into society, bringing severe mental health.
- Challenge
- Handling Ambiguity: Language is inherently ambiguous, and understanding context accurately can be challenging. Resolving ambiguity accurately is key to providing relevant and useful responses. Ethical Considerations: Ensuring that the responses generated are ethical and aligned with societal norms is essential. This involves continually refining and updating the model to mitigate potential biases and promote responsible usage. Continual Improvement: Striving for continual improvement is integral to enhancing the model's capabilities. This involves analyzing user interactions, feedback, and emerging trends to refine the model's performance.
- Realization and Technology
- Yoyo product meets left-behind children's unique needs, fostering mental health and enhancing parent-child bonds. It offers instant communication, personalized health insights, and AI-driven support through features like real-time voice messaging, health sensors, and an AI assistant. Yoyo includes a kid's product and a parent app, serving as a communication tool and a joyous plaything with a real Yoyo ball. Compared to existing solutions, Yoyo's approach integrates advanced AI, voice technology, health sensors, and children's preferences for comprehensive, personalized support, enhancing the well-being of left-behind children.
- Operation and Interaction
- Yoyo targets challenges in environments with time-strapped parents, mitigating potential mental health issues in children. Yoyo aims to support parents, nurture relationships, and ensure optimal care for each child's well-being. Yoyo device: Beyond communication, the Yoyo device is an absolute Yoyo ball, sparking joy and sustained interest for 0-17 left-behind children. It functions as a table stand, doubling as a time machine. A health sensor on the back of Yoyo collects diverse metrics like heart rate and stress level.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project started in April 2023 in the United States and finished in late 2023.
- Specifications
- Yoyo Ball dimensions: 10cm*10cm*4.5cm Yoyo Ball materials: plastic, metal, and cotton AI-based and data-based technology Touch sensor to track the health.
- Keywords
- AI assistance, The "left-behind" children, Health status monitor, Health tracking, support parents, nurture relationships, child's well-being.
