There are tons of reasons why kids might play by themselves sometimes. Often, the “babysitter” is just a phone, tablet, or any gadget, but these usually just offer passive entertainment without real interaction. Obviously, human contact is ideal, but when that’s not feasible, having an interactive educational and entertaining tool is a great alternative.
Designer: Onurhan Demir
The TED-I is an AI-powered Teddy Bear concept designed to serve as “a friend, mentor, and teacher” to the child it’s babysitting when no adult is around. It comes packed with various features that engage with the child and can help identify their potential from an early age. Plus, the child can interact with the bear thanks to these features, so they’re not just left alone with a device.
This bear has two microphones in its ears to catch sounds around it, including the child’s voice. One eye sports a projector lens capable of projecting images and videos onto surfaces, while the other eye features a camera that detects movements from the user and the environment. Parents can even receive live video feeds when they’re away. The bear’s cheeks host two speakers, allowing kids to enjoy music or audio from videos. It also includes an LED screen on its mouth for expressing real-life mouth movements and emotions, aided by an artificial heart that lights up in various colors. Plus, it comes with a wireless charging pillow to recharge it when needed.
It’s quite an interesting idea, unless the child (or adult) is scared of robotic bears that might turn into their overlord someday. Though intended to be a more interactive babysitter for kids, parents can also share in the fun by watching movies or listening to music while having conversations together.
