# Dex Camera Canonical page: https://www.gabrielvaldivia.com/work/dex > The language learning camera - Date: 2024 - 2026 - Client: Dex - Services: Product Design, Branding, Strategy ## Overview 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 — Founder - Charlie Zhang — Founder - Susan Rosenthal — Operations - Aparna Dixit — Product - Daniel Chung — Design ## Case study [Video: Dex hero video](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/bx3smd3xXsnASmmVetNRyE9Pno.mp4) ## Hardware We collaborated with XIVO Design to create a 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. [Visual: hand holding dex](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/hand-holding-dex.png) [Visual: Dex Camera - image 1](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/dex-0.png) [Visual: Dex Camera - image 2](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/dex-1.png) ## Package Dex's packaging was designed in collaboration with XIVO to lean on the iconic hardware design and communicate two additional key visuals: language learning and children's education. Together, it's a restrained design that brings the product forward and removes any unnecessary elements. [Visual: package 1](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/package-1.png) [Visual: package 2](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/package-2.png) [Visual: package 3](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/package-3.png) [Visual: package 4](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/package-4.png) ## Software Children can take photos of anything in the world around them and Dex will tell them how to pronounce it in their target language. Additionally, kids can engage in interactive stories and language activities that help them practice their vocabulary out loud, and revisit previously learned words with flashcard games. Some activities involve scavenger hunts, shaking the device, and even dancing. [Visual: Dex identifying an earthworm as gusano during outdoor exploration](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/dex-camera-1-2b130d5f9c21.avif) [Visual: Dex identifying a dog as perro on a park walk](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/dex-camera-2-9f20eeef0cb2.avif) [Visual: Dex identifying a park bench as banca on a snowy day](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/dex-camera-3-d6339628751d.avif) [Video: Dex Spanish vocabulary and pronunciation activity](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/dex-interface-3-84b822657193.mp4) [Video: Dex story selection interface](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/dex-interface-1-08976b939267.mp4) [Video: Dex animated story navigation](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/dex-interface-2-dda727cb32a6.mp4) ## 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. [Visual: Dex Camera - image 8](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/dex-7.png) [Visual: Dex Camera - image 9](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/dex-8.png) [Visual: Dex Camera - image 11](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/dex-10.png) ## 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. [Visual: Dex onboarding 1](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/UsdpG6tZrZaSEOZcaDbIGglfpYU.avif) [Video: Dex - onboarding pricing](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/75JF4t5a8lrRH3YwqoqoC20JIY.mp4) [Visual: Dex onboarding 2](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/v9u5eaKlDv8o96Mzm5nm5hnevWY.avif) ## Photography Using Google Gemini 3, created 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. [Visual: Dex Camera - image 5](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/dex-4.png) [Visual: Dex Camera - image 4](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/dex-3.png) [Visual: Dex Camera - image 6](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/dex-5.png) [Visual: Dex Camera - image 7](https://pub-0c00865d02c1476494008dbb74525b2a.r2.dev/dex-6.jpg) ## Attribution Credits and collaborators are listed as provided on the canonical case study. This page does not claim that Gabriel was the sole creator of the project.