Presented with the Cadbury-Mondelz International Consumer Design Award, Wing-See Yau, a Brunel University graduate’s digital reading companion is a small handheld device, inspired by the Tamagotchi, designed to encourage childhood reading. Developed during Yau’s final year at Brunel University, the device named ‘Yomi’ transforms reading time into a game in which children nurture a digital animal. The concept was created in response to Yau’s own childhood struggles with reading, as well as research pointing to declining enthusiasm for reading among UK children. Yau’s research found that just 33 per cent of children say they enjoy reading. Conceived as a physical companion object, deliberately separate from mobile and smartphone devices, children scan a book’s barcode with the device’s built-in camera before beginning a reading session. Reading time is converted into points, which help their digital companion develop through a 14-day lifecycle, progressing from baby to adult and eventually to a mythical, wise version of itself.
The device also encourages children to read aloud. Its microphone can recognise reading activity, allowing users to practise pronunciation and storytelling, while those who prefer silence can read independently. Badges reward different genres, while an on-screen “Tree of Knowledge” provides a longer-term visual record of their progress.
The name Yomi comes from the Japanese word yomu, meaning “to read” , an appropriately simple name for a project that attempts to make a traditionally solitary activity feel playful and rewarding. The device uses gamification to encourage and engage children to develop consistent reading habits. Presented at New Designers in 2026, Yomi subsequently received the Cadbury-Mondelez International Award.
