Task: low fidelity prototyping: a better day for anteater.

After perhaps half an hour youtube video watching about anteater habits and staring of its wikipedia page, I reached to the following conclusion:

• Anteaters like to dig holes and sleep in trunks, so they must be comfortable with enclosed environment.
• They also like to scratch themselves, just like any animal on this planet.
• Anteaters can swim and are fond of water.

#1: A water slide was the first thing came to my mind. As a child, I have enjoyed slides very much and I believe, it is only natural for anteaters to feel the same. The detailed drawing includes camouflaged entrances and tree-trunk-like tubes for anteaters to climb into. The slowly ascending tube then takes the anteater to an sliding exit. As the more detailed illustration would suggest. The supporting tube at the higher end of the slide will be hollow and provide the water source for the watered slide. A watered slide is preferable because it will provide a smoother and cooler surface for anteaters to slide down.

#2: A swinging and shifting bridge. This is a device will be entertaining passway for anteaters to walk through. The bridge will be very close to ground so that anteaters will not feel uncomfortable to climb onto it. The cable structures will hold the bridge deck. There will not be direct contact between the bridge deck and the inclines, even though my low fidelity prototype might suggest otherwise. This lack of direct connection, together with the plank and chain structure as illustrated in detail will provide a dynamic surface for anteaters to walk on and play with.

#3: This swinging ball structure is created for anteaters to toy with. The simple combination of a pole, a cable and a soft ball should make this effective toy come into shape and that was my initial design. Then I thought of a better idea, why not combine eating with playing for anteaters. By changing the rigid cable into a elastic rubber tube and the soft ball into a light plastic ball with hollow tubes dug in, the swinging ball now will be a delightful feeding device for anteaters. Syrups could be poured down from the top of elastic tube and be held inside the ball. Then the anteaters could use their long tongues to taste the sweetness.

#4: Tunnel. This geometrically pleasing tunnel will be a playground for anteater. They could run through it or climb on top of it. The coarse surface of bending tubes will function as back rubbers to anteaters that climb through it or just walk past it on the outside.

#5: Roly-poly toy. This roly-poly toy will be a very interesting device to play with. As suggested in drawing, the base will be made of metal to lower the center of gravity so as to create the wobbling yet stable movement. There will be openings on each side so that the anteaters can nudge the structure on two sides and climb into it on the other two sides. A watered indentation will be there in the middle of the structure. Also, the patterned surface of the watered concave will make it easier for anteaters to get out of the roly-poly. The water and coarse surface of the pond will also provide anteaters some joy in this Houston heat.