With over 100 registrations, the interest was significant. The diverse audience – including patients, relatives, healthcare professionals, teachers, representatives from educational directorates and pedagogical universities, as well as students – reflected the broad interest in the topic.
In Austria, there are around 190,000 children with chronic illnesses, of which 17,000 are unable to attend school for extended periods. Over 200 children and adolescents have already received an avatar, which is currently in use in all nine federal states. The affected families incur no costs for the avatar and receive intensive support during the device’s introduction to the school. Acceptance by teachers and classmates is crucial. The avatar allows children to be present in the classroom through sight, hearing, and speech, enabling interaction with their class and teachers.
The "Be PART of it!" project investigates the sense of belonging in school among chronically ill children and adolescents. The telepresence robot (avatar) helps these children stay connected with their school. In addition to questionnaires, real-time data is collected, with students from the TGM Vienna's Information Technology department playing a crucial role.
During the symposium, two students presented their tasks in the project and their insights. They emphasized the practical experience gained from app development and the value of interdisciplinary collaboration. A young patient representative shared her experiences with the avatar in daily school life. The robot enabled her to actively participate in both classroom activities and school events. In further lectures and discussions, researchers and educational representatives highlighted the importance of participation in research and development and examined the potential of telepresence for chronically ill children and adolescents.
For more information about the "Be PART of it!" project, please visit the Sparkling Science website.
