Iris Solutions

Solution Pitch

The Problem

A concept invented in the early 1970s, a sensory environment is a controlled space of light, music, and video that allows the creation of a stimulating (or de-stimulating) space to reduce stress, increase attention and improve communication between teacher, therapists, parent, and a child. Since then, academic research into the impact of sensory input on the effectiveness of sensory spaces in both therapeutic and educational spaces has been growing. Yet, the main challenge of implementation for sensory environments remains: solutions are often bulky, rigid, and expensive, making this technology an exclusive tool accessible only to large institutions with extensive resources.

The Solution

sensoryREADY is an innovative technology allowing for the creation of education and rehabilitation-friendly spaces with ease. It's the first plug-and-play, modular and affordable sensory environment solution available on the market today. Helping to break communication barriers between teachers and students, this technology creates a safe and immersive space in the classroom and delivers information in a more effective manner. Thanks to sensoryREADY’s affordability, even small and medium-sized schools can access important sensory resources in classrooms.

Users can mix music, control lights and colors, and play educational content and games to adapt the classroom to meet students’ needs.  sensoryREADY is easy to use: it plugs in via USB to a projector or TV, connects to smart colorful light bulbs, and allows control of the sensory environment through a mobile application.

Stats 

• Currently, there are 10,000 students benefiting from sensoryREADY across 300 schools in 5 countries.

• Around 40 percent of sensoryREADY’s beneficiaries are students with developmental disorders, stress-related conditions, and learning difficulties.

Market Opportunity

Today, most modern classrooms are equipped with technologies such as projectors and possibly Smart Boards. However, modernizing classrooms has always been a challenge due to several issues: infrastructure, budgets, complexity, and staff tech-readiness. As a result, only simple and easy-to-use technologies like computers, projectors, and speakers have high levels of adoption in schools.

Sensory environments are becoming an essential tool of inclusive education, as they enable teachers to optimize their space to help students learn in a more efficient and immersive way. sensoryREADY’s technology is more accessible than any other solution on the market, both because of its lower price and plug-and-play model. Many solutions requiring specialized equipment and infrastructure cost more than $9,000 compared to just $3,500 for sensoryREADY.

Organization Highlights

• Partnered with Save the Children Palestine to implement a successful pilot project, introducing sensory environments to public schools for inclusive education.

• sensoryREADY’s oldest sensory environments have been running in remote areas of Palestine for 5 years.

Partnership Goals

sensoryREADY seeks:

• Strategic partnerships with impact investors, particularly those in the education-technology sector and Middle East and North Africa region to help sensoryREADY scale.

• Connections to education leaders in the Middle East to implement sensory environments in schools, health centers, refugee camps, and rehabilitation centers.

• Improved digital platform resources to increase user experience and scale impact.

• Connections and resources to implement large-scale educational projects for children.