“We came up with the idea for BRIGHT in our first year of studying Industrial Design Engineering”, says Kara. “For a project assignment, we had to develop a smart product with integrated sensors. We soon figured that we wanted to create something fun, and bring the idea of a computer game to life in a physical game. During our market research, however, we realised there is a huge gap in the range of games that can also be played by people who are visually impaired.”
This inspired the group of students to not only create a game that is immersive and new, but also inclusive. With BRIGHT, one player plays a series of little puzzles and minigames – all based on touch and audio –, while the other player holds an instruction manual for these games, available in both text and braille. Together, you have to figure out what you are playing and how to solve the puzzles. “The key to completing the game is good communication”, says Marcello. “And that’s why the game is so versatile; each time you play, it’s different. You can switch roles, or add more players and work together. Besides, the game is modular, so we can keep switching elements and adding new levels.”
Dutch Design Week
After finishing the prototype for BRIGHT in the first year of their studies, the students got back to the project a year later. “Although it was functional, the game was nowhere near market-ready”, explains Kara. “That’s why we decided to continue working on it during another project assignment in our second year. This time, we wanted to improve the durability, implement user feedback and make it look aesthetically pleasing as well. It’s pretty cool that we were able to keep working on the game throughout our bachelor’s, and it really grew on us as we gained more knowledge on the design process during our studies.”
While refining the game, the group came across 4TU Design United, a Dutch research centre for design. Soon enough, BRIGHT was selected to become part of their national exhibition – they were selected out of more than 100 applicants, of which they were the only bachelor’s students. “From there on, we got the chance to apply for Dutch Design Week”, says Jonathan. “We didn’t expect to get in: it’s one of the biggest design events in Europe. Save to say being selected was a major milestone for us.”
For a week, the group travelled to Eindhoven to present their game at the event. “Being there was great. It’s so much fun to have people actually interact with your work and see it come to life. The reactions that we got were very positive as well. Because communication plays such an important role in the game, it really helps people connect and have fun together”, says Jonathan. “Another cool thing was that the game did not only appeal to those with visual impairments. Think of couples playing the game as a way to test their communication, or colleagues wanting to do a team-building activity”, Kara adds. “We found new applications for the game that we hadn’t thought of yet.”
BRIGHT at Dutch Design Week 2024.
Learning experience
Currently, the group is figuring out how to move forward. “After Dutch Design Week, there have been quite some people asking when we’re going to launch. However, with our bachelor’s coming to an end, we need to consider our options. We are still looking for funding, and some of us might want to pursue a master’s degree as well”, Jonathan explains. “However, we would of course love to keep working on BRIGHT in the future.”
Either way, the past two years of working on the game have been a huge learning experience for the entire team. “Developing BRIGHT as part of our studies has not only helped us better understand and implement everything we have learned about design, but also taught us a lot about time management and teamwork”, Kara says. “Besides, we have gotten to know each other so well and are closer than ever. I wouldn’t want to have missed it. Although no one told us to do it, we did more than we needed to and ended up somewhere really good. So I’d say: if you are motivated and enthusiastic about something, just go for it!”
Want to read more about the BRIGHT initiative? Visit their website here: https://www.4tu.nl/du/projects/BRIGHT/