PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — It may look like your average stuffed animal, but Turbobo is more than meets the eye.
The therapeutic plush is meant to help reduce anxiety and improve mental health in children.
Its founder, Brown University student Ryan Miele, joined 12 News anchor Shannon Hegy on latest episode of 12 Health. He said the idea for the invention came from watching a friend go through a severe mental health episode.
Inspired by Miele’s own dog Turbo, Turbobo has five therapeutic features meant to help reduce stress, ease anxiety and create calm:
- A weighted body which can reduce cortisol levels and improve sensory processing
- Aromatherapy with essential oils to promote calm
- A cooling feature to activate the vagus nerve for relaxation
- A Velcro patch to increase focus and attention
- A fidget tail to reduce stress
Miele first marketed Turbobo to schools in his home state of Connecticut.
Now, it’s in hundreds of schools, including 400 in New York City alone. He’s expanded from there to schools in Boston, Chicago and Denver…