With the rapid development of technology, more and more adolescents are becoming addicted to mobile and screen-based products. Mr Benny Leong and Mr Brian Lee at the School of Design introduced their novel family-focused gamification design intervention “Lamb Lamp” in enhancing family cohesiveness and mitigating the harmful effects of mobile phone overuse.
1. Why did you come up with the idea of “Lamb Lamp”?
According to a survey conducted by the Department of Health in Hong Kong, about 80% of local secondary students possess mobile phones and more than 23% of these students experience problems related to mobile phone overuse. The situation is worrisome as mobile addiction can lead to detrimental physiological, mental and social consequences, such as obesity, vision degradation, sleep deprivation, loneliness, and harm parent-child relationship. This is why we wanted to help improve the situation through an innovative solution.
2. What is the concept behind the design of “Lamb Lamp”?
We have created “Lamb Lamp” to divert family members’ attention away from their mobile phones, provide family interactive games and enhance family relationship. With an animal-like appearance, “Lamb Lamp” integrates an interactive lamp with a mobile charging table. When family members’ mobile phones are placed on the charging table, the lamp lights up with a smiling expression and invites the family to draw cards from a gamebook and start competitive or collaborative games. Ranging from physical, intellectual to cognitive challenges, the games put adolescents and parents on an equal footing in playful engagement.
3. Did you put “Lamb Lamp” to use in real-world settings?
In collaboration with the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals’ Integrated Centre on Addiction Prevention and Treatment (ICAPT), we recruited ten families to take part in an 8 to 12-week trial of “Lamb Lamp”. Researchers first collected information on the parents’ and adolescents’ daily communication, interaction patterns as well as internet and mobile usage. After the installation of “Lamb Lamp” in their homes for 2-4 weeks, family members were interviewed on any change in parent-adolescent relationships and family cohesiveness as well as the experiences of using “Lamb Lamp”.
4. What were the results of the pilot trial?
Although there was no significant reduction in adolescents’ mobile usage, six out of the seven families that completed the trial viewed that “Lamb Lamp” has provided opportunities for affective enhancement and high-quality interaction in the families.
The research team is also glad that “Lamb Lamp” won a bronze prize in the prestigious A’Design Award and an Outstanding Award in the Wofoo Asian Award for Advancing Family Well-being 2018.
5. Any future plans for “Lamb Lamp”?
Having received funding from the ICAPT, we planned to conduct community design workshops for 90 families to custom design their own “Lamb Lamp”. We will also continue to refine the “Lamb Lamp” prototype and extend its application in elderly homes.