11/26/19
Lumo Play Interactive Software
Sometime around the end of the 2018-2019 school year, my co-teacher and I found out about Lumo Play, from a Washburn University student visiting our school. We were skeptical at first, because most interactive software programs cost in the range of $10,000-$15,000. Fortunately, at the end of the school year we were surprised with a $500 donation from a grandparent of a student. We then began to seriously consider Lumo Play and began researching the required hardware for the system. The projector we already had in our gym would work. Next we contacted the head of the district’s IT department, who told us he would provide a computer with the proper graphics card, if we piloted the program for the district. At this time, Lumo Play allowed users to pay a one-time license fee of $120 for the software, and allowed users to pick and choose apps to purchase in their app store. Everything came into place and we were able to purchase the software, motion sense camera, and four games with the donation.
Lumo Play is an interactive software program that works with projectors, TVs, touchscreens, or LED screens. Using a motion sensing camera, the software’s apps interact with motions, gestures, touch or thrown objects. The software contains over 200 different games and programs that can be downloaded from the app store. There are two different subscription options for the software (Playground $29/month and Playmaker $64/month). Both options give the user unlimited access to the all of the apps, but the more expensive plan gives the user access to Motion Maker. The Motion Maker software allows users to customize the apps by adding their own logos/designs and the ability to change the speed, size and behavior of the objects on the screen. With a projector, computer, and motion sensor camera that meet the requirements of Lumo Play, this piece of software would make a great addition to any elementary P.E. classroom.
We use Lumo Play as one of our Fitness Station activities that we do a couple days each month. By using a projector ceiling mount, we were able to mount the projector, computer, and camera from a basketball goal and project onto the nearest wall.
We control the computer with a wireless mouse and keyboard from a cart. All of the games we purchased are "Wall Ball" throwing activities. In Wall Defender, the students are defending the “mothership” from attacking objects. Each level gets progressively more difficult. We let students play three levels before rotating to a different station. Squirrel Math is a game that requires to quickly solve addition, subtraction and multiplication problems and throw the ball at the correct answer. In addition to these two games, we also purchased Spider Crawl and Snowball Fight, for our holiday themed activities. The system has been a huge success. It took some experimenting with the calibration to get it to work correctly, but once we learned the ins and outs, everything works as it’s supposed to. This software is extremely motivating for our students. Kids love video games, so by combining video game-like software with movement is a perfect combination. We are currently brainstorming other uses for the software, by possibly projecting onto the ground, or using heavier medicine balls as an extra challenge. In my opinion, the Lumo Play software is and extremely effective and versatile piece of technology that is well worth the money.
Comments