Promethean ActivPanel
Aug 2019
Intern Project at NetDragon. Dimension: 200 x 60 x 18 cm
The electronic whiteboard is a difficult product to innovate in terms of hardware. The intern team and the main design team worked together to come up with new ideas.
Designed for students
ActivPanel is an electronic whiteboard created for K-12 students. Most educational panels are typically designed for teachers. However, in Middle Eastern countries, we found that schools often focus on elite education, meaning smaller classes with around 10 to 12 students.
In such environments, students tend to learn not only from teachers but also from one another. Research has shown that this peer-to-peer learning approach is one of the most effective ways for students to absorb knowledge.
Thought Process
We discussed concepts such as a smarter panel that could trace the user’s location to pass the pen automatically, or integrating a smartphone with the panel as a portable drive for presentations.
However, these are more feature-level ideas rather than a big concept.
Dynamic Side Panel for Quick Access
I came up with the ideas of a side panel. Some laptops already use a similar feature for function bars or animation timelines.
So, we envisioned it as a temporary space for PowerPoint slides, notes, or cached screenshots.
Turning Students into the Main Character
The stage concept was interesting and doable since we focused too much on seeing the teacher as the target user. However, what if the students were the main character? To attract the students' eyes is to make the class fun. That's why we think adding interactive function is more important then adding any useful apps.
Interactive Projector
We added a projector beneath the display that automatically tracks the student’s position to project visual effects. If it helps the rest of the students pay attention for even one more minute during class, we’d call it a successful project.
And team loved this idea.
Final Feature of the Smart Panel
Students often need courage when stepping onto the stage. The ActivPanel helps them shine, making each student feel like a star. Its projector creates engaging, interactive visuals that capture the attention of the entire class during presentations.
