Unique Cancer Treatment Center alex’s place Uses Kinect for Windows to Help Put Kids at Ease

Adrian Ruiz plays with an interactive robot during a visit to Alex's Place. A unique clinic for treating children with cancer and blood disorders, alex’s place is designed to be a warm, open, communal space. The center—which is located in Miami, Florida—helps put its patients at ease by engaging them with interactive screens that allow them to be transported into different environments—where they become a friendly teddy bear, frog, or robot and control their character’s movements in real time.

“As soon as they walk in, technology is embracing them,” said Dr. Julio Barredo, chief of pediatric services at alex’s place in The Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Health Systems.

The clinic—which opened its doors in May 2012—was conceived of and designed with this in mind, and the Kinect for Windows digital experience was part of the vision from day one. Created by Snibbe Interactive, Character Mirror was designed to fit naturally within this innovative, unconventional treatment environment. The goal is to help reinforce patients' mind-body connection with engaging play and entertainment, as well as to potentially reduce their fear of technology and the treatments they face. As an added benefit, nurses can observe a child's natural range of movement during play and more easily draw out answers to key diagnostic questions.

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“I find the gestural interactive experiences we created for alex’s place in Miami among the most worthwhile and satisfying in our history,” said Scott Snibbe, founder and CEO of Snibbe Interactive. “Kids in hospitals are feeling lonely, scared, and bored, not to mention sick. Partnering with Alex Daly and Dr. Barredo, we created a set of magical experiences that encourage healthy, social, and physical activity among the kids.

“Kids found these experiences so pleasing that they actually didn’t want to leave after their treatments were complete,” Snibbe added. “We are very excited to roll out these solutions to more hospitals, and transform healthcare through natural user interfaces that promote social play and spontaneous physical therapy.”

Kinect for Windows team

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