Ronald McDonald House Charities - Blink
Product design, Experience
For RMHC Chicago's 40th anniversary, a very small SapientRazorifsh creative and IoT team worked together to create - from concept to in-house build to beta test - these utterly simple devices. To tell the story (and solicit funding from donors) we filmed the below with Duncan Wolfe (coming off a year as Obama's documentarian), powerfully putting on display how Blink keeps children connected with their families.
Children with serious illnesses often need to travel great distances for necessary medical treatment. This separates them from family, friends and the day-to-day life they know. For these families, Ronald McDonald House Charities offer a home away from home near the child’s treatment facility to keep these families together.
Science has proven that children heal faster when near the ones they love. The simple truth is, love heals.
But in stressful times of healing, expressing love is not always easy. Separated from their child overnight or during treatment, parents find themselves at a loss for words. We wondered, what if we could use technology to keep families close without needing any words at all?
Blink is an innovative physical-to-digital experience that keeps families connected. This custom-built set of devices gives families an unspoken language of love through light during moments of separation and anxiety.
Triggered by gestures, color-coded messages are exchanged between two orbs.
Blink impacts two harsh realities that families of seriously ill children face: 1) Necessary separation from their child at night or during treatment, and 2) A struggle to communicate and find words of comfort during stressful times.
By breaking down barriers of age, language, social complexity and discomfort, Blink simplifies the act of showing love and support during illness.
Awards & Honors
2018 One Show: Merit, Intellectual Property - Experimental
Cannes 2017: Shortlist, Product Design - Community Impact
2017 London International Awards: Silver - Digital Healthcare; Finalist - Design, Product Development
2017 Clio Healthcare Awards: Bronze - Innovation; Bronze - Digital/Mobile
2017 Fast Company Innovation By Design Awards: Honorable Mention - UX
IDEA Awards: Silver - Digital Interaction
2017 Core 77: Interaction Awards
MMA Smarties: Shortlist - Marketing - Social Impact; Shortlist - Innovation Design
2017 New York Festivals Global Awards: Finalist - Technology Art & Technique