Gear-y the Guide – AI Voice Kiosk Experience for EarlyWorks Children’s Museum

Client Background

EarlyWorks Children’s Museum in Huntsville, Alabama offers hands-on, family-centered learning through play, storytelling, and STEM exploration. The museum wanted a friendly, highly approachable digital presence to greet visitors, answer common questions, support wayfinding, and enhance accessibility for children of all ages and abilities.

Gear-y the Guide was conceived as a whimsical robot ambassador — a character who could make families feel comfortable as soon as they entered the museum’s Rotunda, provide guidance throughout the visit, and offer inclusive support for guest needs ranging from sensory sensitivities to lost-child procedures.

Project Goals

1. Create a Warm, Playful Museum Guide:
   Develop a character who embodies EarlyWorks’ spirit of imagination, curiosity, and hands-on discovery.
2. Offer Real-Time Visitor Support:
   Equip Gear-y to answer wayfinding questions, recommend exhibits, share practical information, and highlight new activities.
3. Build Safety-Conscious, Family-Friendly AI:
   Ensure all conversations are age-appropriate, uplifting, and focused on museum-safe topics with firm but kind redirects.
4. Strengthen Accessibility for All Guests:
   Support sensory-friendly suggestions, visual/text transcript options, simple language patterns, and calm guidance for overwhelmed visitors.
5. Reflect the Museum’s Educational Mission:
   Incorporate playful learning, gentle curiosity prompts, and exhibit-aligned fun facts that spark engagement.