Beagle

A stimulating quest throughout the hospital

Beagle is a graduation project positioned within the Meedoen=groeien! project of the Dutch Rehabilitation Fund, Princess Maxima Centre for Pediatric Oncology, and Delft University of Technology. It aims to improve the quality of life and the development of hospitalized adolescents (12-16) with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). During hospitalization CF patients are isolated to prevent cross infection of bacteria. They suffer from boredom, a decrease in social contact and a negatively affected physical activity level.

Beagle is a design concept consisting of Bluetooth beacons (i.e. Beagles) that can be located using a search app installed on a smartphone or tablet. Hospitalized adolescents are able to search for Beagles during regulated hours (step hours) in which they are allowed to leave their room (one CF patient at a time). Once a Beagle is found, Beagle app-users can upload a picture or message to the Beagle for the next user. It is up to the adolescents themselves what to do with the Beagle next; e.g. hiding it, bringing it to their room, upload a funny selfie, etc.

Beagle facilitates various forms of playful interaction throughout the hospital. It motivates adolescents to become physically active and to connect with other peers within the boundaries of the hospital’s installed segregation policy.

A video of the concept can be found here.
Publication, June 2016

 Bas van Leeuwen
b.a.c.leeuwen.van@gmail.com
Linkedin

Boon, M.J.B., Rozendaal, M.C.

Master thesis, Januari 2016

This graduation project is part of Meedoen=Groeien
www.meedoenisgroeien.nl