ABOUT

A visit to the hospital can elicit all kinds of emotions in children. It's normal for them to feel anxious or confused about their diagnosis and treatment, scared about not getting better or even just plain excited to see a favorite nurse, doctor or clinician. What's unusual for any child who walks through hospital doors is to feel a sense of control. Boston Children’s Interactive Media Wall, part of its lobby renovation, is designed to put some power back in the hands of children. The system is a 20-foot tall media screen that looks something like a gigantic, curved iPad hovering in the middle of the redesigned lobby.

The high-tech wall uses motion sensors and optical cameras in concert with computer programs to generate a digitized 3D model of each guest and allows them to interact with one of nine scenes (a garden, a beach and the starry night sky, musical instrument, painting scene, etc.) and others around them.

"We're so excited for families and patients to see this amazing system," Beth Donegan Driscoll, MS, director of Child Life Services says. "I think it's going to be a clear and bold statement to them that we’re going to take care of them physically but we also care about how they feel emotionally."

The wall is designed by Tim Hunter, students and faculty at the University of Connecticut Digital Media Center.