Rebecca (Bex) Ruvalcaba

Octo-hugs is a huggable plush toy created for children ages 5 to 8 years old with developmental disabilities to support them in times of frustration — times when they need a soothing hug. While hugged, Octo-hugs plays soothing ocean sounds, lights up, and vibrates lightly. Instead of one hug, the user will get Octo-hugs. The concept of Octo-hugs was first sparked by my girlfriend, who said, "Why don't you make something to help me, for people with autism?!" The most important aspect to come out of the iterative prototyping and research phase was the simple notion that every child is different. Some kids are going to love to hug an octopus to hear sounds when they are frustrated, while others might simply want to feel something soft without feedback. Throughout the toy development process, children were asked to create their own huggable toys. In order for Octo-hugs to be for children, children also had to be involved in the creative process — especially children with developmental disabilities. Octo-hugs was complemented with a website mock up for a customized buying experience. All children are different, so the site includes a virtual experience for the parent and child to go through and customize their Octo-hugs toy.

Project Video