Copyright © Françoise Herrmann
Sproutel Inc., is a company that specializes in making toys to bring comfort to children, who are coping with crisis and illness. In particular, Jerry the Bear™ targets children with Type 1 Diabetes. A disease that requires lifelong monitoring of blood glucose levels with insulin therapy. The premise driving the company’s research and design of the Jerry the Bear™ pediatric toy, is that, if children can understand the Jerry the Bear™ Type 1 diabetes, and practice caring for him with proper feedback, then they will also understand, and learn how to self-manage their own Type 1 diabetes. As the children take care of their bear, they will become educated about Type 1 diabetes. As a result, they will also become less anxious and fearful of the rigors of their lifelong treatment. A treatment that involves complex decision-making.
Jerry the Bear™ is a patented invention. The version of the toy with the augmented reality app is recited in the US utility patent US11056022B1 titled System, apparatus, and method for creating an interactive augmented reality experience to simulate medical procedures for pediatric disease education, granted July 6, 2021. Accordingly, the invention recites a system, comprising apparatus and method, for superimposing simulated virtual medical procedures on a plush toy, thereby creating an educational interactive experience for children, that facilitates cost-effective pediatric disease education. Specifically, the invention relates to Type I diabetes.
The extracted patent Figure 1A is included below, together with an image of the marketed Jerry the Bear™. The patent Figure 1A depicts the components of the augmented reality system 100, designed to provide an interactive augmented reality experience, simulating medical procedures for pediatric disease education. The system 100 comprises: 1. a plush toy 105, in this case Jerry the Bear™, with uniquely identifiable patches 125, 2. a mobile device 110, in this case a smartphone, equipped with a camera 120, designed to collect uniquely identifiable information from the patches 125, on the plush toy 105 and, 3. an interactive medical procedure simulation logic section (app) 130, designed to recognize the uniquely identifiable information, captured with the camera 120, from the plush toy patches 125 and, in turn, to launch one of several simulated treatment procedures on the mobile device screen 115. An interactive simulation of various procedures that the child will practice, alternatively monitoring, treating, testing, planning, or deciding on how to care for the bear’s Type 1 diabetes, using the virtual disease care tools. The logic section 130 might also include a simulation of the disease, so that feedback might be provided to the child, who is learning to make decisions about the bear’s treatment.
Incidentally, Sproutel Inc., has garnered accolades as a company doing Good1. Indeed, the company not only brings comfort to children experiencing illness, Sproutel Inc., also donates a Jerry the Bear™ pediatric toy to a diabetic family who cannot afford one, for some of the Jerry the Bear™ plush toys sold.
NoteSproutel Inc., received "People's Choice Award" at Health 2.0 SF in 2012.
References
Committee
for Children® https://www.cfchildren.org/
Jerry the Bear™ https://www.jerrythebear.com/
Sproutel Inc. https://www.sproutel.com/
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