Dawn Technology developed Swinxs: a screen-free outdoor gaming computer that encourages children to be active through sensors, audio and interactive games. What started as an innovative concept grew into a complete product enjoyed by thousands of children for many years.
The project began as an internal innovation initiative with a simple question:
How can technology encourage children to be more physically active rather than less?
Through brainstorming sessions, experimentation and rapid prototyping, the concept of a screenless gaming computer emerged. Instead of relying on displays, the system would use sensors, audio feedback and intelligent interaction to create engaging outdoor games.
The challenge was to develop a product that was:
The goal was not simply to build another toy, but to create an entirely new category of play experience.
Dawn Technology developed Swinxs as a durable, brightly coloured outdoor gaming device that recognises participating children through RFID wristbands.
Using a combination of sensors and smart technology, the system can detect movement, distance and interaction between players. This enables a wide variety of active games, from races and tag games to hide-and-seek challenges.
Examples include:
The gaming computer operates entirely without a screen. Instead, it communicates directly with children through audio instructions and feedback, stimulating imagination and physical activity rather than passive screen time.
Games could be downloaded through the Swinxs website, while developers were given access to an open platform that allowed them to create their own games and experiences.
This combination of hardware and software enabled classic playground games and entirely new game concepts to coexist within one flexible ecosystem.
Swinxs was launched internationally in 2008 and sold in several countries, including:
For many years, Swinxs remained a unique solution that successfully combined technology, physical activity and creativity. Although the activities of Swinxs BV ended in 2020, existing users continue to enjoy the system and its games.
The project demonstrates how innovation, prototyping and continuous product development can create an entirely new market segment. It remains an example of how technology can enhance childhood play experiences while encouraging movement, social interaction and imagination.
Our Smart Family Buddy (OSFB) supports young families in Rotterdam South with a healthy lifestyle. Led by Erasmus MC and funded by NWO, the program utilizes a secure AI coach built by Dawn Technology. This coach guides expecting and young parents using reliable answers drawn exclusively from validated knowledge sources, never the open internet.
Vitens supplies clean and safe drinking water to millions of people in the Netherlands every day. To ensure the quality of this water, Dawn Technology, in collaboration with Vitens, developed a future-proof software system that reliably evaluates, verifies, and reports laboratory results, ranging from “target” analyses to advanced “non-target” screening.
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