Dex turns real-world moments into language lessons for kids 3–8. Instead of passive screen time, Dex invites kids to notice the world around them and talk back to it, transforming routines into learning opportunities. The result is a gentle rhythm of daily speaking, listening, and discovery that feels like play but compounds into real progress.
Team
Reni Cao
Charlie Zhang
Susan Y
Aparna Dixit
Daniel Chung
Services
Product design
Product design
Hardware
Hardware
Branding
Branding
content
content
Strategy
Strategy
Marketing
Marketing
Go-to-market
Go-to-market
Date
2024 — 2026
Hardware
We collaborated with XIVO Design to create device shaped like a handheld magnifying glass with a camera on one side and a multi-touch screen on the other. Two tactile buttons keep controls simple: one to confirm, one to cancel. The device also includes a microphone, speaker, and accelerometer. Unlike tablets that encourage passive sitting, Dex's form factor invites children to hold it and carry it during active exploration—transforming how they engage with their environment.
Hardware
We collaborated with XIVO Design to create device shaped like a handheld magnifying glass with a camera on one side and a multi-touch screen on the other. Two tactile buttons keep controls simple: one to confirm, one to cancel. The device also includes a microphone, speaker, and accelerometer. Unlike tablets that encourage passive sitting, Dex's form factor invites children to hold it and carry it during active exploration—transforming how they engage with their environment.
Product photography
Using Google Gemini 3, Daniel from my team was able to create a unified visual language for ads, packaging, and the website. The images kept the device shape, colors, and proportions stable while letting us swap families, moods, and settings so every photo felt real and part of the same world.
Product photography
Using Google Gemini 3, Daniel from my team was able to create a unified visual language for ads, packaging, and the website. The images kept the device shape, colors, and proportions stable while letting us swap families, moods, and settings so every photo felt real and part of the same world.
Character Design
Children learn best when they connect with a character. We partnered with The Little Labs to design a friendly elephant who guides each activity and appears across our stories. The character greets kids, models tasks with simple cues, and celebrates progress with animations and audio. Consistent personality, voice, and pacing help build trust, so practice feels like a narrative that kids can follow and enjoy.
Character Design
Children learn best when they connect with a character. We partnered with The Little Labs to design a friendly elephant who guides each activity and appears across our stories. The character greets kids, models tasks with simple cues, and celebrates progress with animations and audio. Consistent personality, voice, and pacing help build trust, so practice feels like a narrative that kids can follow and enjoy.
Sketches
Sketches
Sketches
Refinements
Character components in Figma
Character components in Figma
Character poses
Character poses
Character poses
Audio Feedback
Our character responds to every pronunciation attempt by scaling from micro-reactions to full reward moments, while sound design shifts from gentle guidance to triumphant stingers. Together, the motion and audio create a loop that’s instantly understandable, playful, and measurably effective.
Audio Feedback
Our character responds to every pronunciation attempt by scaling from micro-reactions to full reward moments, while sound design shifts from gentle guidance to triumphant stingers. Together, the motion and audio create a loop that’s instantly understandable, playful, and measurably effective.
"Incorrect" animation
"Incorrect" animation
"Incorrect" animation
"Correct" animation
"Perfect" animation
Prototypes
We developed high-fidelity prototypes to explore an interactive systems that would resonate with children by being both engaging and easy to use. These prototypes featured exposed sliders and customizable settings, giving the team the flexibility to test different configurations in real-time.
Prototypes
We developed high-fidelity prototypes to explore an interactive systems that would resonate with children by being both engaging and easy to use. These prototypes featured exposed sliders and customizable settings, giving the team the flexibility to test different configurations in real-time.
Interactive nav prototype
Interactive nav prototype
Interactive nav prototype
Parent copilot
Dex includes a parent app that gives families clear visibility and transparency. I built a design system that extends the characters and visual language from the device into the app so it feels connected to the world children already know.
The app needed to echo the playful tone kids recognize without feeling childish for parents. That meant rethinking color, scale, and motion so the character-driven style could guide parents through settings, activity logs, and controls in a way that felt intuitive and trustworthy. The result is an experience that feels like part of the same universe while still being built for the people managing it.
Parent copilot
Dex includes a parent app that gives families clear visibility and transparency. I built a design system that extends the characters and visual language from the device into the app so it feels connected to the world children already know.
The app needed to echo the playful tone kids recognize without feeling childish for parents. That meant rethinking color, scale, and motion so the character-driven style could guide parents through settings, activity logs, and controls in a way that felt intuitive and trustworthy. The result is an experience that feels like part of the same universe while still being built for the people managing it.
