HOPE MANON: Buddy, a robot for inclusion
Children hospitalized for leukemia are placed in a sterile room for a period of 3 to 6 weeks. During this period of strict isolation, physical contact with family is prohibited. Only hospital visits are permitted, with significant health and safety protocols in place. Meet Buddy the Robot for Inclusion!
This situation leads to profound social isolation for the child, at the very moment they are facing difficult treatments. The family, meanwhile, finds themselves deprived of the child’s daily presence, which generates stress and guilt. Siblings, in particular, suffer from a difficult emotional imbalance.
Their needs
+ Children hospitalized for leukemia remain in a sterile room for 3 to 6 weeks.
+ The child’s family and loved ones seek ways to rebuild social connections beyond hospital visits.
Buddy, the robot for inclusion that brings families closer together
Behind each photo in this gallery lies much more than a technological innovation: a story of connection, presence, and hope. During weeks of isolation in a sterile room, Buddy becomes the eyes, ears, and sometimes even the very presence of the child within their family.
Thanks to this inclusion robot, young patients can continue to share the small, everyday moments that matter so much. Like attending a family meal, chatting with their siblings, participating in an activity at home, or simply being present with their loved ones despite the distance imposed by medical treatment.
Buddy helps reduce the feelings of exclusion and isolation experienced by hospitalized children while preserving the family bonds essential to their emotional well-being. It also allows siblings and parents to maintain a more natural relationship with the child, despite the constraints of hospitalization.
Through these images, discover how technology can become a true tool for humanity, serving the inclusion, well-being, and support of children facing leukemia. Every smile, every exchange and every moment shared thanks to Buddy reminds us that no child should have to face illness alone.
piloté à distance
TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS & SOFTWARE
To best meet the specific needs of our users, we have designed and developed a suite of applications and dedicated content to enhance the user experience with the Buddy robot. In this use case, the telepresence solution is offered with two applications.
MyBuddyApp is installed on the child’s tablet, which serves as the control center. The child can see, hear, and control the robot.
TeleBuddy is installed on the robot itself, allowing the family to see and hear the child through Buddy.
MyBuddyApp
Mobile Application
TéLéBUDDY
Application
BUDDY THE Robot’s tools for inclusion
BUDDY, the Robot for Inclusion, developed by Blue Frog Robotics, is deployed in the family home to serve as an avatar for the hospitalized child. Thanks to a tablet provided in the room and a 4G SIM card independent of the hospital’s Wi-Fi, the child can at any time:
- Control the robot remotely (two wheels, head rotation)
- See and hear what’s happening at home thanks to the cameras
- Show and receive emotions, send written messages
- Choose to display your own face or BUDDY’s face on the robot’s screen
The child is an active participant: they decide when to call, where to move in the house, and when to end the session. This autonomy is fundamental to the design of the solution.
The following video (2 min 23 s) was broadcast by France 3 Régions. It shows Gabin, 6 years old, hospitalized at the Purpan University Hospital for 6 weeks, and his daily use of BUDDY to maintain contact with his family.
They benefited from Buddy the Robot for inclusion, discover what they think about it!
Without a doubt, Buddy’s social utility is no longer in doubt, given the numerous glowing testimonials attesting to the positive impact of the device on the inclusion of sick children.
“The child is the one in control at that moment and makes the choice to be able to turn on their robot from their hospital room. Obviously, someone has to answer from home, but at that moment, they can also choose not to converse if they don’t want to, but simply go and check that their environment is still the same.”
Caregiver
“At first, when they said robot, I wondered if I’d understood correctly. We’re going to bring home a robot, right?!… But for a 6-year-old, a robot is a bit of a dream. Besides, it’s true that it creates a link with home.”
Parent
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