In a 48-hour, non-stop hackathon, I was tasked with forming a team within the first hour and solving a healthcare challenge. Despite not knowing anyone beforehand, I quickly gathered a diverse group and led us toward a common goal. 

We worked tirelessly, brainstorming, serving coffee to team and building a solution without sleep. Our efforts paid off as we won second place, demonstrating my ability to lead teams under pressure and stay focused on achieving a goal. 

Through this experience, we created a meaningful innovation using new AI technology for the greater good of society, proving that I can drive impactful results even in high-pressure situations. 

Brave Buddy is an AI-powered plush toy designed to provide emotional support for children undergoing medical treatment. By using natural language processing, it offers comforting conversations, explains medical procedures in a child-friendly way, and helps ease anxiety during challenging times. The toy is personalized to meet each child’s unique needs, providing a constant companion throughout their treatment journey. 

Take a look at our work with real case study:

Why is this important ?

Children undergoing medical treatment, especially those with chronic conditions like cancer, face not only physical challenges but emotional ones too. Fear of medical procedures, confusion about their illness, and isolation from not fully understanding their situation can severely affect their mental health. Many studies show that childhood mental health struggles can lead to long-term consequences, including lower income and job stability. 

What we built ?

To address this, we created Brave Buddy, a Gen AI-powered plush toy designed to provide comfort and emotional support to children during medical treatment. The toy uses AI to offer child-friendly explanations, easing fear and anxiety while providing companionship. It also allows parents to monitor their child’s emotional state even when they are not physically present.

How we built ?

Our journey began at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital - we worked non-stop for 48 hours to build a meaningful solution. Using Design Thinking, we focused on pediatric care and developed a conversational AI system embedded in a plush toy. We leveraged OpenAI’s LLM models for natural interactions and Open AI Whisper for seamless voice recognition.

Result

The result was an innovative, child-centric solution that helps children navigate their medical journey with courage and understanding, while providing parents with peace of mind. This solution has the potential to make a significant impact on both individual lives and broader societal challenges, improving emotional well-being for children and their families.