Tunghai University-News--Using Interactive Design to Inspire Children’s Rehabilitation Motivation Tunghai Industrial Design Alumni Win One of Only Two Global Gold Awards at IDEA

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::: Tunghai University-News--Using Interactive Design to Inspire Children’s Rehabilitation Motivation Tunghai Industrial Design Alumni Win One of Only Two Global Gold Awards at IDEA

Using Interactive Design to Inspire Children’s Rehabilitation Motivation Tunghai Industrial Design Alumni Win One of Only Two Global Gold Awards at IDEA

Department : THUPR
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Date : 2025-12-24

Tunghai University Industrial Design alumni Lin Tzu-Ting and Hsu Yi-Chen have improved rehabilitation procedures through innovative design, creating HOO!, an educational tool designed specifically for children’s speech therapy. The project stood out in the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) in the United States, winning the Gold Award in the Student Design category—one of only two Gold Award recipients worldwide this year—bringing new honor to Taiwanese design.

Alumni of the Department of Industrial Design at Tunghai University developed an innovative design to improve rehabilitation procedures. Their children’s speech therapy educational tool, “HOO!”, won one of only two Gold Awards at the U.S. IDEA Global Design Awards.

Hosted by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), the IDEA Award is one of the most influential design competitions in the world. Alongside the prestigious Red Dot Award, iF Design Award, and Japan’s Good Design (G-Mark) Award, it is recognized as one of the world’s four major industrial design awards. Tunghai University’s Department of Industrial Design alumni Lin Tzu-Ting and Hsu Yi-Chen received the Student Gold Award at the 2025 International Design Excellence Awards with their project HOO!, which transforms rehabilitation into interactive game feedback, enabling children to complete speech therapy through play.

HOO! allows children to learn through interaction, completing training through play. This not only improves therapy efficiency but also increases children’s willingness to participate and sustain rehabilitation.

Lin Tzu-Ting explained that the project combines a cardboard structure with electronic sensors, which can detect airflow strength in real time and convert it into game feedback. This allows children to learn through interaction and complete their training through “play.” The design not only increases the efficiency of therapy but also motivates children to participate more willingly and maintain long-term rehabilitation.

Tunghai University Department of Industrial Design alumni Lin Tzu-Ting (right) and Hsu I-Chen (left).

Hsu Yi-Chen also shared that through interviews and field observations during the design process, they gained deep insights into the challenges faced by speech therapists and children during therapy sessions. By applying interactive design thinking, HOO! becomes more than a cold, rigid tool—it becomes a learning companion that can “communicate” with children and stimulate their interest. In addition, HOO! is already a functioning prototype, demonstrating strong potential for future applications in education and clinical settings.

“The value of HOO! lies in responding to real needs through interaction and innovation, showing how design can improve education and health,” said advisor Professor Chang Chun-Yuan. He noted that HOO! not only demonstrates breakthroughs in appearance and creativity but also gained high recognition from international judges for its innovation, user experience, and social value.
Department Chair Lu Chia-Chen added that it is gratifying and honorable to see students demonstrate their design talents and step onto the global stage while still in school. She emphasized that Tunghai Industrial Design will continue guiding students to broaden their horizons and use creativity to bring positive impact to the world.

HOO! Award Website:
https://www.idsa.org/awards-recognition/idea/idea-gallery/hoo/

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