People with type 1 diabetes, a lifelong genetic condition that prevents the accurate breakdown of glucose in the blood, rely on a steady amount of insulin to be delivered to their bodies every day. Since young children cannot manage an insulin pump, use a glucose meter by Dexcom test their own glucose or deliver their own injections, parents with diabetic children must administer at least 3 finger-sticking blood glucose checks and frequent insulin injections every day to ensure diabetes is managed. For a five-year-old child, that’s a lot of boo-boos in the name of love.
Enter Jerry the Bear, a fully interactive robotic teddy bear with type 1 diabetes and the brainchild of Northwestern students and Design for America fellows Aaron Horowitz and Hannah Chung. Horowitz, now CEO for the duo’s company Sproutel, explains that Jerry the Bear was inspired by the teddy bears children often get after their diabetes diagnosis.
The initial mechanics of Jerry, who is specifically targeted to diabetes-stricken children from ages three to seven, are designed to enable a child to become the bear’s caretaker. Children can check Jerry’s paw for a blood glucose level and administer an “insulin shot” to any one of the bear’s five ports. Jerry also comes with a “food pack” of simple foods, like an apple or cheese, which a child can “feed” to the bear when he has low blood sugar. Horowitz explains that the children are able to react to Jerry’s cues and determine whether the bear’s blood sugar is too high or too low.
Dr. Roboto Interactive Teddy Bear Helps Kids Manage Diabetes [Mashable]