BUD BUDDY
Joint Project - IED Milano - Bachelor's Degree in product Design
Academic year
2023/2024
In a context where autism diagnoses are on the rise, Bud Buddy is a project designed for children with autism spectrum disorder, aimed at providing them with support in their daily life and helping them cultivate their independence.
The device combines the three main tools recommended by psychologists into one: a visual schedule that shows step-by-step the actions involved in daily routines, a visual timer that accompanies each step of the sequence, and positive reinforcement for completed actions.
Through a parent app, it is possible to personalize the steps and sequences to suit the child’s needs. The app also includes three other features: a map with centers and associations that work with children on the autism spectrum, as well as public places and businesses that are accommodating to the special needs of these children; a forum where parents can talk and share experiences with their children; and finally, a paid service with specialized psychologists available for virtual meetings, both for parents and children, aiming to bridge the gap in service availability between under-served areas and regions with many specialists.
Project by: Anna Maria Cabini, Erica Maruelli and Fabio Zuccoli
