MedEgg: Empowering Children for Their Surgeries
Sponsor:
Brief:
Create a product that improves the experience of a child who must undergo surgery
Problem:
Children have little control or understanding in the surgery process, leading to lots of fear
Format:
Group
Duration:
3 months, 2023
Group Members: Lily Liang, Valerie Ng, Meredith Renaud
Personal Contribution: User Research | Prototyping & Modeling | Video Editing
MedEgg: Overview
MedEgg is a kit for children containing common medical equipment that interacts with an egg that hatches in the hospital. The steps of caring for the egg are done at home and help educate and normalize scary medical equipment before the child's surgery.
Product Video
The Child's Journey
1
Hospital: Before Surgery
At the initial doctor's visit where the surgery is planned, the child is directed to pick out a MedEgg kit to take home with them in order to learn about their surgery.
2
At Home: Play and Learning
Between the initial appointment and day of surgery, the child cares for the baby dragon egg using medical equipment. Each medical item interacts in a fun an engaging way with the egg. In the process of play, the child learns about parts of surgery through both the medical equipment and the educational cards.
3
Hospital: Day of Surgery
The child has positive anticipation for the day of their surgery knowing it's also the day their dragon friend hatches. In the pre-op room, the child places the egg a special hatching base. When the egg hatches, it reveals a stuffed dragon which the child can keep with them for comfort through their time in the hospital.
Inside the Kit
Interactive Egg
Backpack
Informational Cards
IV Drip
Anesthesia Mask
Stethoscope
Interactions: 3 Engaging & Educational Interactions
*drip*
*drip*
*drip*
IV Drip
Normalizes needles — something children are traditionally frightened of at the hospital
*beat*
*beat*
*beat*
Stethoscope
Allows children to monitor the health of their baby dragon and feel connected to it by listening to their heartbeat
*breath*
*breath*
*Zzzzzz*
Anesthesia Mask
Teaches the children about the effects of anesthesia in a positive light — helping the baby dragon to fall asleep
Features
Sound: the child can hear the baby dragon “react” to each interaction, helping the child learn that each piece of medical equipment helps the baby dragon
Light: the eggs glows and pulses in unique pattern depending on the piece of medical equipment interacting with it
IV Drip
Stethoscope
Anesthesia Mask
Educational Cards
Educates the children through storyboards, and facilitates the free play of the kit with information.
*Cards by Valerie Ng
Augmented Reality (AR) App*
Builds bond between child and dragon and shows the child how the treatments affect the dragon. Also includes more in-depth education on the surgery.
*Part of concept but not pursued in the scope of this project
Research: A Child's Emotions Surrounding Surgery
Confusion
The child doesn't understand what will happen at the hospital or why
Loss of Control
The child feels they don't have a say in what happens to their body
Pressure
The child feels pressure to "just get through it"
These emotions lead to fear
A Child's Journey to Surgery
Positive
Negative
Initial Dr. Appt.
Specialized Consultant
Wait for Surgery Date
Pre-Op
Surgery
Post-Op
Post-Care
Fear & Anticipation
Target Pain Point: Fear while waiting for surgery date
Pain & Confusion
Child-Life Therapist Perspective
"We see a huge increase in positive coping when there is an increase in education"
Ashely McGee, Child-Life Therapist
"Play is how children communicate, understand their surroundings, and express themselves"
Ms. Martin, Child-Life Therapist
Medical Play
Allows the child to learn about their surgery and equipment involved while having fun.
Normalize Scary Medical Equipment
Learn While Playing
Role-Play as a Doctor
Project Objective
To better prepare children ages 5-7 for their surgeries through medical play and education.
Why?
-
In our research we discovered that education is the most important type of preparation prior to surgery in alleviating stressors on the child
-
Education is highly flexible, allowing both low or high-tech engagement for children
-
The goals of education: to reduce fear, reduce anxiety, reduce pain, empower, and bring joy to children otherwise anxious about their upcoming surgeries
Ideation: Making Education Child-Friendly
*by Lily Liang
From Medical to Magical
Heal the dragon with a mystical, magical interaction!
A baby dragon needs your help to hatch!
Prototyping: Bringing the Egg to Life
Interactive Pieces
Prototyping equipment interactions with the egg using optical fiber to allow the egg to light up differently in response to each item.
Testing: Education & Engagement
Participants are encouraged to play with the equipment and speak their thoughts aloud. Afterwards they answer questions about their experience
Group 1:
Instructional cards with words
Group 2:
Instructional cards without words
Feedback
Users wanted more feedback from the egg (sound, colors, etc.)
6/7
"Interactions were too similar"
Higher ratings by Group 1 (cards with words) than Group 2 (cards without words) -- on a scale of 5
19%
Information helped, but "find a less text-heavy way of showing it"
Refinements
Egg:
More feedback and diversity of feedback:
-
Different color lights for each piece of equipment
-
Patterns for each piece of equipment to match the item
-
Sound interactions
-
Pulsating light patterns
Cards:
Storyboard on back of cards to educate without being text-heavy
Creating MedEgg: Developing the Egg
Developing the Medical Equipment & Box
Creating the Backpack
