Dex
Dex turns real-world moments into language lessons for kids ages 3-8. Instead of passive screen time, Dex invites kids to notice the world around them with curiosity and talk back to it, transforming routines into learning opportunities. The result is a gentle rhythm of daily speaking, listening, and discovery that feels like play but compounds into real progress.
Team
Reni Cao
Charlie Zhang
Susan Rosenthal
Aparna Dixit
Gabriel ValdiviaDuration
2025—2026
The language learning camera
Dex is shaped like a magnifying glass, with a camera on one side and a screen on the other. Kids take photos of whatever catches their attention, and Dex teaches them how to say it in their family's language. From there, it might tell a story about the word or prompt a small activity to help it stick.
Device activities
Each day, new language learning activities unlock to complement the free-camera exploration, and completed ones are saved to a library. Kids engage in interactive stories that let them choose their path by saying words out loud, and practice previously learned words with flashcard games. Some activities involve scavenger hunts, shaking the device, and even dancing.
Parent copilot app
Dex includes a parent app that gives families visibility into their kid's progress without interrupting independent play. The app needed to echo the playful tone kids recognize without feeling childish for parents. We built a design system with characters and visual language that carries across both the device and the app.
Product photography
Using Nano Banana Pro by Google, we created a unified visual language for ads, packaging, and the website. The device's shape, colors, and proportions stayed consistent while we swapped scenes, families, moods, and settings, so every photo felt real and part of the same world.
Character design
We partnered with The Little Labs to bring the device's character to life. Dex, the elephant, is present in all activities, from vocabulary practice to starring as the protagonist in some stories. I then expanded the library with dozens of poses and scenes so Dex could adapt to all types of states.
Marketing website
As a new kids' hardware company in an uncharted category, the website needed to convey authenticity, trustworthiness, and safety. We leaned on high-quality promotional videos and a 'show before tell' philosophy.
