PlusMe · Project

Smart Soft Toy That Helps Therapists Treat Children with Autism

healthTestedTRL 6

plusme-h2020.eu

Imagine a cuddly panda toy that lights up and makes fun sounds when a child touches its paws. A therapist controls it from a tablet, rewarding the child for making eye contact, taking turns, or imitating actions — core social skills that children with autism struggle with. The team built working prototypes and tested them with children aged 24 to 48 months, then engineered a version ready for small-scale manufacturing. It grew out of an earlier EU robotics project and was pushed toward becoming an actual product you could buy.

By the numbers

10-20

working +me samples planned for small-scale production

handmade new prototypes with updated hardware and software

engineered prototype ready for small-scale industrial production

24-48 months

age range of children in pilot tests

EUR 99,375

EU contribution

total project deliverables

The business problem

What needed solving

Therapists working with young children with Autism Spectrum Disorders lack affordable, engaging tech tools to support behavioural sessions. Traditional therapy relies heavily on the therapist's ability to capture and hold a child's attention, which is extremely difficult with ASD. There is a gap in the market for interactive, certified therapeutic devices that bridge play and clinical intervention.

The solution

What was built

An engineered prototype of the +me soft interactive panda toy ready for small-scale industrial production, plus 6 handmade prototypes with updated hardware and software used for clinical testing and dissemination activities. The project delivered 11 deliverables in total.

Audience

Who needs this

Paediatric therapy clinics and autism treatment centresSpecial education toy and assistive device manufacturersHospital child neuropsychiatry departmentsDistributors of therapeutic and educational devicesEarly intervention service providers for developmental disorders

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Therapeutic and Assistive Device Manufacturing

SME

Target: Manufacturers of special education toys or assistive technology devices

If you are a therapeutic device manufacturer looking for your next product line — this project developed an engineered interactive soft toy prototype ready for small-scale industrial production. The +me panda uses embedded electronics with lights and sounds controlled via a tablet, specifically designed for ASD therapy with children aged 24 to 48 months. With 1 engineered prototype and 6 handmade units already built and clinically tested, you could license and scale production.

Paediatric Healthcare Services

any

Target: Autism therapy clinics and child neuropsychiatry departments

If you run a therapy clinic for children with autism and struggle to keep young patients engaged during sessions — this project built and tested an interactive panda toy that rewards social behaviours like eye contact and turn-taking with coloured lights and sounds. A therapist controls it from a tablet, adjusting responses to each child. Pilot tests were conducted with children aged 24 to 48 months with ASD.

EdTech and Special Education

SME

Target: Companies developing IoT-enabled educational or developmental products for children

If you are an EdTech company expanding into special needs products — this project offers a proven concept combining soft robotics, IoT connectivity, and behavioural therapy in one device. The +me connects to a control tablet allowing caregivers to customise input-output patterns. With 6 working prototypes and clinical testing completed, the technology is validated and could be integrated into a broader product ecosystem.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to produce the +me device at scale?

The project engineered a prototype specifically for small-scale industrial production of 10 to 20 units. The total EU contribution was EUR 99,375 for a single-partner project. Based on available project data, per-unit production costs at larger scale are not disclosed, but the design was explicitly optimised for manufacturability through a third-party electronics manufacturer.

Can this be produced at industrial scale?

The project's core goal was to move from experimental prototype to a product ready for small-scale manufacturing. Deliverable D1.3 confirms an engineered prototype ready for small-scale industrial production was completed. Scaling beyond the initial 10 to 20 units would require additional manufacturing partnership and EU safety certification.

What is the IP situation and can I license this technology?

The project was coordinated by Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Italy's largest public research body. The +me originated from the FET project GOAL-Robots (Grant Agreement 713010). IP is likely held by CNR, and licensing discussions would need to go through their technology transfer office.

Is the device certified for use with children in the EU?

One of the project's stated goals was to develop a product certified for safe use in the EU. Based on available project data, the certification process was part of the roadmap but full EU certification status is not confirmed in the deliverable descriptions.

What clinical evidence supports this device?

Pilot tests were conducted on children aged 24 to 48 months with both Autism Spectrum Disorders and Typical Development, in collaboration with the Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry section of the University of Rome Sapienza. The project aimed to strengthen the scientific evidence base alongside engineering.

Does the device require technical expertise to operate?

The +me is designed for use by therapists and caregivers, not engineers. It connects to a standard control tablet that allows the adult to modify the toy's light and sound responses without technical knowledge. The tablet interface lets caregivers produce several rewarding response patterns according to a child's individual reactions.

Consortium

Who built it

This was a single-partner project run entirely by Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Italy's largest public research institution. With no industrial partners, no SMEs, and no university collaborators in the consortium, the project relied solely on CNR's internal capabilities across its institutes (CNRIMM for engineering, CNRISTC for cognitive sciences). The EUR 99,375 budget and Coordination and Support Action funding scheme reflect a focused effort to push an existing research prototype toward market readiness. For a business considering this technology, the absence of an industrial manufacturing partner means there is a clear opening for a commercial company to step in and take the product to market.

CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHECoordinator · IT

How to reach the team

Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Italy — contact their technology transfer office or the IMCB/ISTC institute leads who developed the +me device.

Order a report on this consortium See CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

SciTransfer can connect you directly with the CNR research team behind +me and help negotiate licensing or manufacturing partnerships. Contact us to get a detailed technology brief.

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