Futuristic Robot Ball May Be the Next Big Toy for Kids With Developmental Disabilities

Meet Leka, a motion-sensitive ball designed specifically for kids with with developmental disabilities.

Leka lights up, vibrates, moves and makes noises to stimulate senses, all of which are designed to help with social, motor and intellectual skills, according to the company’s website.

The company notes that Leka “doesn’t replace therapy;” rather, it’s a tool for parents and caregivers “to teach through play and make therapy easier, more efficient and constant by bringing therapy home.”

The toy is not yet on the market, but a prototype made its debut at the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) event in Las Vegas earlier this month.

Leka co-founder/CEO Ladislas de Toldi chatted with BBC’s Leo Kelion about how he hopes the toy will help children with Down syndrome, autism and other developmental disabilities.

When asked why this was better than any other toy, de Toldi replied:

Robots are very fun, very cute and they really get the children interested. Children with disabilities are still children — they want to play, they want to have fun and the robot allows that. If you use the robot as a learning support, for learning activities and playing activities, children get more engaged in those activities.

Primary research for the toy was done in Paris, and product development was based on studies in the United States and the United Kingdom.

h/t The Autism Site