Warp Drive
Bring the Cosmos to your Kids' Fingertips
The Warp Drive is an interactive, open-source educational toy designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and foundational STEAM skills in children ages 6–12, it combines real-time animations of stars, planets, and celestial phenomena with quiz and story-based learning. Built around an ESP32-S3 microcontroller, a vibrant 2" 240×320 TFT SPI display, addressable LEDs, and tactile controls (knob + button).
Project Type:
Personal Project
Year:
2025
Objectives
1. Astronomy Fundamentals – Introduce celestial objects (stars, planets, nebulae, black holes, etc.) through rich animations and facts.
2. Cognitive & Language Skills – Reinforce memory, critical thinking, vocabulary, and narrative comprehension via Quiz and Story modes.
3. Motor & Sensory Development – Develop fine motor control and hand-eye coordination through knob and button interactions.
4. Introduction to Coding – Offer an open-source codebase for older kids to explore microcontroller programming, sensors, and graphics.
Fun Visuals
Retro style cosmos animations running locally
Led Animations
Immersive led animations to enhance user experience when playing
Analog control
Smooth analog rotary dial for interaction
Haptic feedback
Feel the rumble of spaceship, animations and more
Process Gallery:
Discovery Mode
- Explore 12+ Objects: Randomized animations of stars, galaxies, supernovae, comets, and more.
- Visual Learning: Colorful, animated renderings make abstract concepts concrete and memorable.
Warp Speed Simulation
- Interactive Control: Turn the knob to engage warp; watch stars stretch into luminous streaks.
- Sensory Feedback: Vibration motor pulses intensify with warp speed for immersive play.
Research & Discovery
Impact
Quiz Mode
- STEM Q&A: Multiple-choice science questions tailored to ages 6–12.
- Instant Feedback: Visual cues (correct = green flash; incorrect = red flash) and optional haptic confirmation.
- Adaptive Difficulty: Questions can be expanded or customized via editable JSON files.
Story Mode
- Narrative Journey: Guided cosmic adventure with text prompts and animated backdrops.
- Reading & Comprehension: Supports vocabulary growth and story sequencing skills.
