Don’t Panic
I created Don’t Panic: Your Squishy Robot Friend in response to a brief which required the creation of a ‘robot’ which could be assembled by an adult with no help or supervision, within 20 minutes. The final deliverable included the robot parts, the necessary tools, and a set of detailed instructions for assembly.
Meet Your New Squishy Robot Friend
Your Squishy Robot Friend is a kit to make a comforting sidekick which was designed to help when presented with challenges that seem hard or overwhelming. It has a friendly bemused face and a rounded cube-form body. It is made from a hodgepodge of familiar materials including corduroy fabric, glitter vinyl, steel shank buttons, and decorative buttons. I sewed and embellished some components of Your Squishy Friend including the head and body, while other elements need to be sewn together by the user to create the final robot. When assembled Your Squishy Friend has a rotating head and somewhat posable limbs. It can be balanced in a standing position or propped into a seated one.
For the instructions I chose an informal and encouraging tone designed to set the user at ease and help them feel comfortable with the task at hand. This tone was emphasized to underscore the intention of the project to be a comfort in the face of adversity. The instructions are accompanied by simple line sketches to keep the user oriented.
