CareToy: An Intelligent Baby Gym: Home-Based Intervention for Infants at Risk for Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Cecchi, Francesca; Sgandurra, Giuseppina; Mihelj, Matjaž; Mici, Luiza; Zhang, Jianwei; Munih, Marko; Cioni, Giovanni; Laschi, Cecilia; Dario, P.

doi:10.1109/mra.2015.2506058

Cited by 16 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…There are also examples with sensorized toys, such as a work that uses a tangible toy to help children with neurodevelopmental disorders, where it provides multisensory stimuli through multiple sensors and actuators for luminous and sound stimuli, which can be used to develop fine motor skills and basic cognitive functions skills [31]. Another proposal is that of a sensorized baby gym for infants, with a variety of sensors attached to different elements of the baby's environment, like grab handles, or visual stimuli [32]. Finally, a work to support children with ASD in learning vocabulary, mathematical, and life skills [33] using a SmartBox device with multiple sensors (body sensor, light control, sound control, etc.)…”

Section: Related Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Affective and Cognitive Toy to Support Mood Disorders

et al. 2020

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Affective computing is a branch of artificial intelligence that aims at processing and interpreting emotions. In this study, we implemented sensors/actuators into a stuffed toy mammoth, which allows the toy to have an affective and cognitive basis to its communication. The goal is for therapists to use this as a tool during their therapy sessions that work with patients with mood disorders. The toy detects emotion and provides a dialogue that would guide a session aimed at working with emotional regulation and perception. These technical capabilities are possible by employing IBM Watson’s services, implemented into a Raspberry Pi Zero. In this paper, we delve into its evaluation with neurotypical adolescents, a panel of experts, and other professionals. The evaluation aims were to perform a technical and application validation for use in therapy sessions. The results of the evaluations are generally positive, with an 87% accuracy for emotion recognition, and an average usability score of 77.5 for experts (n = 5), and 64.35 for professionals (n = 23). We add to that information some of the issues encountered, its effects on applicability, and future work to be done.

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Section: Related Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Affective and Cognitive Toy to Support Mood Disorders

et al. 2020

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“…The CareToy System (Fig 1), as described in Cecchi et al [10], is a biomechatronic gym that, thanks to a tele-rehabilitation architecture, is used at home with remote monitoring by the rehabilitation staff. Briefly, it is inspired to common gyms for infants and it is composed by: i) sensorized toys with various features and affordances for promoting various grasping abilities, ii) two walls embedded with lights, buttons and speakers, iii) a large monitor (screen wall), iv) a wall for the sitting position, equipped with a sensorized pillow, v), four cameras, vi) an arch equipped with lights vii) a mat with sensors and viii) 3 wearable sensors, 2 used for the upper limb as bracelets and one in the trunk as chest strap.…”

Section: B Caretoy Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The effects in relation to the EI programs have been broadly assessed in preterm infants while, at our knowledge, there are only few studies on infants with DS albeit, the effects on their developmental skills are of great interest to researchers. In this framework, CareToy (CT) system, recently developed and validated as a tool for providing, in infants born preterm, EI telerehabilitation, has shown positive effects at short-term both on motor and visual development [10]- [13] and also on reducing the parental stress [14]. We hypothesized that the CT intervention, with some adaptation, could provide a tailored, intensive and incremental challenging family-centered EI also for infants with DS.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feasibility of CareToy Early Intervention in infants with Down Syndrome

Inguaggiato¹,

Beani²,

Sgandurra³

et al. 2019

IJRTE

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Background. CareToy (CT) System has been recently developed and validated in preterm infants with positive effects at short-term both on visual and motor development. Objective. We aimed to assess the feasibility of CT training in infants with Down Syndrome (DS) and to evaluate the effects of the CT training in promoting their neurodevelopment. Methods. 10 infants with DS aged 6.16 ± 1.54 months were recruited and allocated in two groups: CareToy (CT) or Standard Care (SC). 5 infants of the CT group performed CT Intervention in the clinical setting for 5 weeks; other 5 infants were followed as SC for the same period. Data about the feasibility of the intervention were collected. Moreover, all recruited infants performed motor and visual assessment at baseline (T0) and in the week after the CT or SC periods (T1; 5 weeks after T0). Results. All infants allocated in the CT group performed the CT training with good compliance. In all outcome measures the mean delta changes (T1-T0) showed promising positive effects of the training in the CT group, compared to SC. Conclusions. CT demonstrated its feasibility for providing EI also in infants with DS and its effects seems promising. However, further large RCT studies are needed.

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“…On the basis of the previous theoretical framework and background, the assumption of this study is that a playful early intervention aimed at promoting parent-child interaction using a semistructured tool (CareToy) [41–43] in the home environment could have effects not only on infant development but also on parental stress. A RCT study (Clinical Trial.gov NCT01990183) [44], preceded by a pilot study [45], has been recently carried out and has demonstrated positive effects of CareToy intervention on neurodevelopmental outcomes (i.e., improvement of early motor and visual functions) compared to Standard Care.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects on Parental Stress of Early Home-Based CareToy Intervention in Low-Risk Preterm Infants

et al. 2019

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Parenting a preterm infant is more challenging than a full-term one. Parent involvement in early intervention programs seems to have positive psychosocial effects on both the child and parent. CareToy is an innovative smart system that provides an intensive individualized home-based family-centred EI in preterm infants between 3 and 9 age-corrected months. A RCT study, preceded by a pilot study, has been recently carried out to evaluate the effects of CareToy intervention on neurodevelopmental outcomes with respect to Standard Care. This study aims at evaluating the effects of CareToy early intervention on parenting stress in preterm infants. Parents (mother and father) of a subgroup of infants enrolled in the RCT filled out a self-report questionnaire on parenting stress (Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF)) before (T0) and after (T1) the CareToy or Standard Care period (4 weeks), according to the allocation of their preterm infant. For twins, an individual questionnaire for each one was filled out. Results obtained from mothers and fathers were separately analysed with nonparametric tests. 44 mothers and 44 fathers of 44 infants (24 CareToy/20 Standard Care) filled out the PSI-SF at T0 and at T1. CareToy intervention was mainly managed by mothers. A significant (p < 0.05) reduction in Parental Distress subscale in the CareToy group versus Standard Care was found in the mothers. No differences were found among the fathers. CareToy training seems to be effective in reducing parental distress in mothers, who spent more time on CareToy intervention. These findings confirm the importance of parental involvement in early intervention programs. This trial is registered with Clinical Trial.gov NCT01990183.

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CareToy: An Intelligent Baby Gym: Home-Based Intervention for Infants at Risk for Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Cited by 16 publications

References 19 publications

An Affective and Cognitive Toy to Support Mood Disorders

An Affective and Cognitive Toy to Support Mood Disorders

Feasibility of CareToy Early Intervention in infants with Down Syndrome

Effects on Parental Stress of Early Home-Based CareToy Intervention in Low-Risk Preterm Infants

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