I have collected all of my research together and have now summarized my research in a reflection document which details all of my research and inspirations which lead up to me coming up with the idea of a Medical Digital pet as my unique IP, the Document contains my starting subjects- Toys and Medical Technology how this lead to initial ideas and how those ideas started to compile into my final idea.
My first big motivation for this ip came in the form of a toy known by almost everyone the classic interactive toy "Furby" from it i wanted a toy that could offer interaction in a more digital format so digital pets were eventually introduced into the mix and with the inclusion of health monitoring technology the ip started to form. I wanted a child friendly digital pet which can help kids that suffer from a mental illness such as Social anxiety. As mentioned in previous posts mental illness treatment is not the most accessible treatment and so by having CBT included in a toy/wearable technology product it instantly becomes a widespread option for a lot more people it just helps a lot more children.

A lot of ideas went into my ip and it does target a specific audience but even though it is an ip that can help those with mental illness it can still be marketed to other children it has the versatility to do that, this IP has plenty of potential and it could help a lot of children.

Mind Map is now complete and has charted my research journey, it includes key points in my research and clearly illustrates how my research has lead to certain decisions.

currently working on Reflection document to reflect on my work thus far.

My work so far:


Research Images

(hubpages, Shadaan Alam, 2013) 

(popsugar Anon, 2015)

(vg247, Anon, 2015)

 (directorsnotes, MarBelle, 2011)

( Wearable-Technologies, Spela Kosir, 2015)

(BlessThisStuff, Anon, 2015)

(pcmag Jill Duffy, 2015)

 ( Wearable-Technologies, Spela Kosir, 2015)

My Research has brought me to an essentially fleshed out idea, the images above sort of sum up my direction so far, i want a combination of wearable health monitoring technology that interacts with a digital pet which resides in a Cardboard box the interaction would be related to the child's health so the pet reacts to how a child may feel. . I have gathered many pins to support my research and now have a solid idea of where to go from here

I have also began work on a first draft of a pitch document which basically sells my idea and how my research has lead me to my current collection of ideas, work on its art style has begun and will develop over the coming days, will post more updates once design is nailed down. 

Pinterest Links

https://uk.pinterest.com/tomread1994/thomas-read-dd-3000-childhood/ - Childhood board

https://uk.pinterest.com/tomread1994/thomas-read-dd3000-health-and-fitness-tech/ - Health Technology board

Social Anxiety in Kids

"Children with social phobia are often inordinately fearful of criticism. They may express their anxiety by asking, “What if I do something stupid?” or “What if I say the wrong thing?” Young children sometimes throw tantrums and cry when confronted with a situation that terrifies them, behavior that can be misunderstood as oppositional. The fear they experience may trigger physical symptoms such as shaking, sweating, and shortness of breath, and may significantly interfere with daily life. The anxiety may occur well in advance of the dreaded situation.

The fear a child with social anxiety disorder experineces is out of proportion to the actual risk of being judged negatively, or the consequences of a negative evaluation.

There are two main types of social anxiety disorder. The first focuses on performance—things like speaking in public, ordering in restaurants, shopping in stores. The second is interactional, which pertains to social situations even when you’re not in the spotlight. Children with interactional social anxiety may fear going to school, eating in public, and using public restrooms. Most people with interactional social anxiety also experience performance social anxiety."

References 

http://www.childmind.org/en/health/disorder-guide/social-anxiety-disorder, Anon, 2015

This is a negative thought pattern cycle which affects those with depression and social anxiety, these thoughts are what keep people with mental illness from having a normal life and as previously mentioned CBT is what helps to break and control these thoughts.

References

http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/drugs-and-treatments/cognitive-behavioural-therapy-cbt.aspx#.VkRhorfhDmE , Anon, 2013

CBT- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

The video above explains what CBT is, in essence it is a way of getting you in control of your own behavioral patterns so you know how to cope with mental illnesses such as Depression or Social Anxiety as both illnesses affect the way people think about themselves causing negative thought patterns and behavior.

This therapy is exactly what those suffering with depression and social anxiety need in order to get onto the path to a better state of mind, this is a good area that could do with some more development in order for it to be more accessible.

References

http://www.mind.org.uk/, Anon, 2013

What is Social Anxiety?

As i have mentioned in previous posts my research has lead me to try and come up with something to help those suffering with Social Anxiety, but what exactly is it, The NHS describes it as such:

"Social anxiety disorder (social phobia) is a persistent and overwhelming fear of social situations. It's one of the most common anxiety disorders.

Social anxiety disorder is much more than "shyness". It can be intense fear and anxiety over simple everyday activities, such as shopping or speaking on the phone.Many people sometimes worry about certain social situations, but someone with social anxiety disorder will worry excessively about them before, during and afterwards. They fear doing or saying something they think will be embarrassing or humiliating, such as blushing, sweating or appearing incompetent.Social anxiety disorder is a type of complex phobia. This type of phobia has a disruptive or disabling impact on a person's life. It can severely affect a person's confidence and self-esteem, interfere with relationships and impair performance at work or school.Social anxiety disorder often starts during childhood or adolescence and tends to be more common in women. It's a recognised disorder that can be effectively treated."

Social Anxiety has become a more common mental illness across the world and unfortunately affects 1 in 3 people. There are various ways to help those with the condition such as Anti-Depressants or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy which exposes sufferers to what they fear in a controlled manner thus helping them cope with their condition.

References

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-anxiety/pages/social-anxiety.aspx , Anon, 2015

        PC&TechAuthority,2015                                                        Wearables, Mariam Sharia, 2015    

Whilst research into Social anxiety has continued, I have also found a lot of stuff on wearable health technology which is an area which I want to delve into, i have found numerous bands which monitor health aspects such as Pulse rates and breathing rates, these are quite common with people who exercise, i also found technology that can measure sportsmen's abilities such as basketball hoop shots these are really interesting to see and i had no clue things like this existed, very informative.

Research into Social Anxiety has continued, specifically how it affects younger children between the ages of 5 and 10, and Mind map currently developing giving a broader sense into how the end product could turn out, many diversions were taken along research but things have begun to flatten out, clear idea of what needs to be looked into and researched more.

Research that i have carried out over the past few weeks has started to progress some more, through the research and personal experience, i have decided to change my research areas in order to focus on creating something for kids with social anxiety to help them cope with the mental illness, an illness which i struggled with during highschool

                                                         newtoybrands, Anon, 2013

I have found a lot of recurring trends in terms of Digital Pets they have went through an evolution with them now becoming Augmented Reality Digital pets such as the quite modern Cupets have become the new norm, of course Tamagotchi are still quite popular among retro enthusiasts, research into digital pets will continue

8/10/2015 Discussed ideas and themes, narrowed down subject matters and getting an idea of how i want to go forward based on what i have found. Would like to come up with an idea involving the use of AR technology and children's toys I have been particularly drawn to digital pets such as Tamagochi they seem to be a recurring trend through the years, i will explore this area in more depth in the coming days.

Continued researching into technology for kids and the improving tech behind augmented reality in glasses and smarthphones

24/09/15
Began Research of Present, Past and Future into subject choice: Children, gathered multiple images now up on Pinterest