This cuddly bear engages with individuals with memory disorders.
WGAL’s article entitled “Talking teddy bear gives patients with dementia a new way to connect” reports that Cue Teddy is the brainchild of Dr. Roger Nelson.
Dr. Nelson is a retired physical therapist whose family dealt with dementia. He saw a need that was not being met.
“They lacked this ability of being able to talk and to think and then to connect with other people,” he said.
Dr. Nelson, therefore, teamed up with Rod Tosten, the vice president of IT at Gettysburg College, to bring the bear to life.
“Cue Teddy cues the individual to move and to stay active,” Tosten said.
The bear goes through a series of questions and commands, tapping into three areas of the brain: thought, motion and touch.
“One of the things we’re testing is what colors work well and what kind of fabric works well,” Tosten said.
But why a teddy bear?
“Everybody kind of remembers their first teddy bear they ever got and the name of the teddy bear,” Nelson said.
In addition, making people remember is part of the goal.
“I hope that a lot of people adopt it and use it because it’s a valuable tool,” Nelson said.
“To be able to help other people is just amazing. I just love working on this,” Tosten said.
Cue Teddy is currently in the early stages of development. When it is ready, the two creators will be looking for a partner to mass produce it.
Reference: WGAL (Feb. 14, 2022) “Talking teddy bear gives patients with dementia a new way to connect
