Unlike other smartwatches for youngsters, which
usually focus on keeping them connected or entertained, the Octopus was instead
designed to build and reinforce good habits on a regular schedule.
You could use the Octopus companion app to add a
toothbrushing task, prompting an icon to appear on the kid's wearable at the
same time every day. That iconography is crucial, by the way: JOY, the startup
behind the watch, designed it so kids who can't read yet can still glance at
and understand the reminders their parents have set for them. When the task is
complete, the child taps the watch's single button to mark it complete, and
they get a little celebratory animation. You know that strange sort of joy that
comes with ticking a to-do off a list? That's sort of what the team is trying
to invoke here.
Even better, the watch is meant to grow with these
kids too. 4 year-olds would probably just appreciate the watch's colorful screen
and bright bodies -- not to mention the octopus-shaped nightlight/charger combo
-- but an 8 year-old might enjoy the level of self-sufficiency it offers.
They've got their daily schedules, just like we adults, and accessing them by
way of some cool hardware like their parents could foster a greater sense of
self-sufficiency.
The Octopus is also just a fun looking piece of kit. As you'd expect from a wearable that stands a
better than average chance of being lost or destroyed, the JOY team didn't go
crazy with the components. The screen is colorful but low-res and the single
button was a little tough to press on some of the team's show floor demo
models. The startup completed
a Kickstarter campaign earlier this year.
