Animookites, a Student Innovation Project

Technical Field
This project involves the fields of Robotics and Embedded Systems and Game Programming. This involves circuits, programming, and bringing some “life” to otherwise inanimate objects
Background Information
Having been a teacher for over 15 years in public elementary schools, getting children motivated and wanting to read is a challenge. Giving students a book light designed in the shape of an animal that keeps a record of minutes read is a way to promote reading.
Prior Art
“Lucktime,” “Winchy,” and “Jetpen” are included in prior art as previous animal booklights, but they are flat except for Lucktime that is similar to an origami light used as a night light, not a true booklight. Animookites book light constitutes a fair-use of any copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US copyright law. “Animookites” by Amanda Grose is a creative common – permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.
Project Description
A different kind of booklight is the overall focus of this project. Booklights that are shaped like animals that can keep track of minutes read. Animal booklights that can be used to encourage reading. These booklights will be sold to primarily children and families with young children, schools, bookstores, and organizations that are trying to increase reading skills and overall enjoyment of books in general.
Innovation Claim
This project is innovative because although there are many other booklights in the world, there are not many animal booklights that have a 3D shape and none, to my knowledge, keep track of minutes read.
Usage Scenario
Beyond being sold at bookstores and to families with young children, schools could find this device incredibly useful to track minutes read by children. Schools could use it during the school day and families could use it in the evening. It could give both parents and teachers insights into how much time children are reading or if they are reading daily since it will track minutes read.