The 5th grade primary school students at the Stedelijke Basisschool Zuid in Harelbeke (Belgium) invented a machine to create their own teddy bears. That is because they can’t find the ones they love in existing shops and moreover they dreamed of unique ones.

Tijn Veraghert Industrial Product Design student at Howest University (Kortrijk, Belgium) created in collaboration with the child-inventors a concept. A working prototype has been built with the technical secondary school students of the Guldensporencollege Engineering in Kortrijk.

The Big Teddy Machine has all parts necessary to customise the making of a personal Teddy Bear: the design, the stuffing, the props. The inventors decided to want to give some of these unique teddy bears to children in need.

And how they loved the end-result! Congratulations to all students involved!

Because of the government measurements concerning covid-19, MyMachine Flanders & Brussels is unfortunately unable to organise a Grand Exhibition showing all elaborated dream machines. But luckily the schools and students were able to finish their work. So the working prototype could be delivered today. In stead of going to the exhibition, the finished working prototype goes directly to the primary school where the child-inventors can test the final result.

A big thank you to all students and educators involved for being so persistent and resilient in these peculiar times! Well done!