Brazil-based advertising agency DM9Rio and Amaral Carvalho Hospital have joined forces to change the lives of hospital-ridden children with an ELO teddy bear. ‘ELO’ is a talking teddy bear, but its words are not pre-automated; they come from friends and family members via WhatsApp.
The teddy is comforting for cancer-stricken children who have to spend a lot of time in the hospital in isolation. Each bear is equipped with a personal number that people can send loving audio messages to. When the child feels lonely or is in need of some encouragement, they can press their bear’s paw and it will play a message that was sent to them.
The Rio de Janeiro-based hospital decided to create the teddy in homage to its 100th anniversary and of course to the kids that have been treated in it.
Smartphone-Connected Teddy Bears
ELO Teddy Uses What’s App to Link Sick Kids with Their Families
Trend Themes
1. Connected Teddy Bears - Use of internet-connected toys for emotional support in healthcare settings.
2. Family-centric Communication - Use of apps like What's App to connect patients with their families remotely.
3. User-generated Content Toys - Incorporating personalized messages from loved ones into toys for emotional support.
Industry Implications
1. Healthcare - Integration of internet-connected toys for emotional support of patients.
2. Toy Manufacturing - Incorporation of user-generated content into toys.
3. Mobile App Development - Development of apps for remote communication and emotional support in healthcare settings.