Daan Robben, Francesco Lucini, Kateřina Jelínková
The emergency department can be a scary place for a child. Bright lights, strange machines, constant beeping, no idea what's coming next; it's a lot to take in and children usually have no say in any of it. Some hospitals try to help with calming projections on the wall, but even then children can only watch. They can't touch, play, or be in control during their visit. So Moefy asks a different question: how can we give children agency over at least a small part of their stay? Moefy turns a stressful hospital stay into something playful. Through a multi-sensory experience which they can shape themselves, children become the ones fully in charge.
How to give hospitalised children agency where they have none?
With Moefy, children become healers of a colourful world, together with their chosen animal companion and the doctors. The multi-sensory journey is guided by an animal character, from waiting room to discharge. Through a mural, several stickers, and an interactive game, Moefy sparks connection between the patient and the hospital environment.
In the treatment room, children rest a cushioned board on their lap and slide the toy across it to play the interactive game.
An embedded magnet acts like an invisible magic wand, talking wirelessly to sensors inside the board to guide the character through a projected wall game. The objective is to explore and heal virtual worlds. Gentle vibrations and playful sounds let children physically feel their on-screen actions. Finally, once treatment ends, the doctor exchanges the toy for a gift bag for them to keep.
Using a research-through-design approach, Moefy was developed together with emergency paediatricians and children.
By replacing passive watching with playful control, Moefy actively supports children and helps them clear their mind of hospital anxiety. giving them the opportunity to make decisions.
While active play can be more effective at reducing pain and fear than simply watching a screen, clinical settings bring unique challenges. The soft silicone toys and fabric cushion can attract dust, requiring easy-to-clean materials to meet strict hospital hygiene rules (Moefy may not yet be suitable for all children, such as those with tummy ache or sensitivity to overstimulation).
Ultimately, the project showcases how a small pocket of control has the potential to turn a scary medical experience into positive memories.