In the consumer segment, virtual reality is all the rage. As such, it’s easy to forget its applications elsewhere, such as therapy. Inspired by his trips to children’s hospitals and the benefits staff there reported when using VR experiences with sick and hard to work with children, inventor Mike Blazer thought it was important to try and help in his own way. The NEODiVRjr was born as a result.
The lightweight virtual reality is specifically designed for kids, featuring a kid-friendly bridge space between the lens, a compact frame, and a detachable handle for casual use. The Extreme version supports head mounted use, flip open lens, Bluetooth game buttons, and the use of eAVR which translates real-world movement to the virtual experience. Both versions utilize the 6th generation of the iPod Touch, a device the creator feels is kid-friendly yet powerful enough to run the types of apps necessary.
The Casual version of the NEODiVRjr is $29, while the Extreme version runs $35, with proceeds of every pledge going towards providing children’s hospitals around the world with units. All are due to be shipped in April of 2016 should the campaign reach its $14,950 goal by December 14th, 2015.
Headsets like Impression Pi, CMoar and SEER all provide virtual reality experiences with varying degrees of—some have buttons while others support gestures. None, though, are made for children, let alone those who sick. Evident by their designs, the NEODiVRjr is a thoughtful approach to the little ones’ experiences and does well in executing it.