![]() But thanks to constantly evolving and lower priced technology, mobile operating systems, and small, energy efficient projectors, we can be captivated while in our living rooms. Until recently, the cost was too high to bring that same interactive playspace into individual homes. The inventors of Lumo have been captivating audiences for years with their interactive environments at museums and tradeshows. It seemed like a magic trick, one I can now fill you in on the way it was done. Nor was she expecting the leaves to blow away when she ran through them. But what wasn’t predictable were the fish that jumped when my daughter touched the projected image of them on the floor. I was at a children’s museum a couple of years ago and on one of the floors was a square of constantly changing scenery leaves, a babbling brook and other outdoor scenes rotated through in a predictable pattern. Now imagine being able to have that in your living room with one small projector. And imagine access to over 100 interactive games geared to get children moving, laughing, and learning. "If people are willing to download the software, buy their own hardware and put it together as a kit, just imagine how many millions more will be willing to go buy a turn-key device when it hits the market.Imagine an iPad or Android tablet big enough and strong enough to walk, jump, and dance on. "We've so far got 45,000 people who have downloaded and installed the software," she said. The initial software platform for Lumo Play is ready, so Lumo Interactive is giving $250 worth of software away for free to anyone who wants to try making their own, Athavale said. "It depends a lot on what happens over the next few months." "But those discussions are moving forward now that the market demand is obvious. "The negotiations and discussions we've had over the years really haven't resolved themselves into funding of any sort or into manufacturing partnerships worth speaking of," Athavale said. How soon the game is on store shelves depends on who Lumo Interactive partners with to mass produce it. ![]() "This is a system where kids can play together - they look at each other while playing and using their bodies." "There's an undeniable need for systems that take advantage of digital play in a way that keeps kids active and social. "It's very well documented the negative impact (screen time has) on physical and social development," she said. Lumo Play's mass appeal is a result of parents being concerned about screen time, Athavale said. "Certainly not when you're self-funding a project." "It was just a matter of time before somebody took notice of it like that, but you can't really pay for attention like that (viral video)," she said. They remained confident the time would come for Lumo Play, Athavale said. We launched an interactive wall globally with McDonald's earlier this year and we've been doing a lot more projects like that." "We've always sort of serviced both - working on the consumer stuff on the side and funding it by working with bigger commercial clients. "We decided it was better to wait until the market was right and focus on the commercial side of the software company. "Mattel fired its entire executive suite halfway through our negotiations," Athavale said. ![]() The timing was unfortunate, however, as some major toy companies were in financial turmoil, Athavale said. The company was then invited to a hardware accelerator program in San Francisco designed to help companies turn their prototypes into retail sales. Lumo Interactive (), formerly Po-Mo Inc., initially revealed the game in September 2014. In the meantime we had tens of thousands of messages." It took me about four hours to locate the video and figure out what was happening. "I was about to board a plane away from Winnipeg and my phone started buzzing so much it got hot," Athavale said Monday from Toronto. The magazine posted a video online July 31 of Lumo Play, which instantly went viral, much to the surprise of Lumo Interactive CEO Meghan Athavale. The Winnipeg company, which has seven employees, has been trying get the game on store shelves and that should be closer to reality thanks to the American parenting magazine Fatherly. Lumo Interactive has been working for a few years on producing a game called Lumo Play, a projection toy that casts images on a floor or wall and interacts with a person's movements. It's amazing what 26.5 million views of a promotional video can do for a company. ![]() Manage Print Subscription / Tax Receipt.
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