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Sticky
A smart nightlight to enhance commitment to hobbies.
What is it?
Sticky is a smart nightlight designed to help children stay committed to hobbies they enjoy, not through external rewards, but by fostering genuine intrinsic motivation. Research shows that perseverance is a key factor in long-term success, contributing to development, learning, and a strong sense of self-efficacy. Early childhood is a critical period for forming skills such as self-regulation, frustration tolerance, and a sense of achievement. Hobbies, in particular, offer an ideal environment to cultivate perseverance, they allow freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to succeed without fear of judgment.
The child selects one hobby to focus on for a two-week period and inserts the corresponding button into the lamp. Each time they engage in the chosen hobby, they press the button which stays locked for the day, preventing them from pushing more than once and providing clear tactile feedback for the completed action.
At night, the child turns on the lamp and sees through the reflection of the light, as the child continues their activity, the brightness increases and gradually fills the lamp’s body. At the end of the two-week cycle, if the child has maintained consistent engagement (at least six times), the lamp celebrates the achievement with colorful lighting effects and invites the child to choose a new hobby and begin a new cycle.
Project Info
- Students: Dan Green, Noa Lazar, Mor Ron, Maya Shechter
- Year: 2025
- Lecturer: Dr. Noa Morag
- TTeaching Assistant: Ofir Sadka
- Industrial designer: Aviad Kelner
How does it work?
The visual feedback on the lamp is displayed through an LED strip that gradually lights up based on the level of consistency. The system resets the button via a timed mechanism controlled by an ESP32 microcontroller, preparing the lamp for the next day. When the button is raised again, it signals to the child that it’s time to return to practice. At night, before going to sleep, the child can activate the lamp with a gentle tap using a built-in Piezo knock sensor, and observe the light accumulated through their ongoing effort.
Sticky is based on the ESP32 microcontroller, which controls all hardware components, Wi-Fi connectivity, and precise timing. Together, these elements create a simple, intuitive, and motivating experience that supports perseverance without reliance on external rewards.