Doktor Universe: Reducing childhood anxiety through XR
Doktor Universe collaborates with health care professionals to reduce childhood anxiety during medical procedures through immersive Extended Reality (XR) tools, enhancing patient experiences and outcomes.
Reducing childhood anxiety through XR
Doktor Universe works closely with nurses and pediatric health experts at hospitals and clinics to develop digital tools that ease pain and anxiety for children aged 0 to 7 during medical and dental procedures. Leveraging movies, games, animations, music, Augmented Reality (AR), and Computer Vision, their solutions create immersive and playful environments that help children navigate stressful healthcare experiences. The team, with a strong background in developing and distributing popular Scandinavian children’s IP, designs interactive narratives that speak the language of young children and simulate real-life medical scenarios.
Among their innovations is “My Hospital Friend Wheelie,” created in collaboration with nurses from the pediatric department at Aarhus University Hospital, one of the world’s top 20 hospitals. The solution uses computer vision and play to distract children during hospital procedures. Similarly, Doktor Universe has partnered with pediatric dental experts in Denmark to create an AR-based solution that combines 3D jigsaw puzzles with engaging activities promoting healthy dental habits, such as choosing water over sugary drinks.
Their solutions are now implemented in nine hospitals across Denmark and Greenland, supporting healthcare professionals in transforming treatment experiences for young patients. Expanding their portfolio, Doktor Universe launched the “Storytelling Room,” a new platform co-developed with Aarhus University Hospital. Tested with over 100 children, the system uses computer vision to recognize medical equipment, replacing it with child-friendly graphics and animations projected onto the room’s walls. By turning clinical settings into fantasy worlds, the platform helps divert children’s attention from medical procedures through gesture-controlled games and video content.
Recognised for their impact, Doktor Universe was nominated for Denmark’s Most Innovative Solution in the public sector in 2021 and received the Patient Impact Award from Nordic Health Lab in 2022. The company continues to expand globally through partnerships, bringing its innovative technologies to hospitals worldwide.
About Doktor Universe
The Danish company Doktor Universe is inspired by the founders themselves experiencing their children’s fears and anxieties related to having health procedures done. Mixed with their animators and game developers expertise, the founders aim to continuously create tools to support clinicians and health professionals in interacting with and treating children.
Doktor Universe helps children at hospitals and dental clinics experience a significant reduction in the anxiety and pain caused by common procedures.