Students at the University of Minnesota have designed the “world’s first sensory-friendly backpack.”
The Nesel Pack (a play on the word “nestle”) is a backpack for kids with sensory-processing issues, including children on the autism spectrum.
It features specially designed straps with chest clips that create the feeling of a hug, plus hooks for attaching fidgets and chews, a hip belt to give a sense of snugness, an ID-card slot and special pockets that can accommodate weights to simulate the sensation of a weighted vest.
Students, who started their project as part of an entrepreneurship class at the U, developed the pack in partnership with Minnesota-based Fraser, a nationally recognized provider of autism services with locations throughout the Twin Cities.
You can order packs for ages 6–12 for $115 at neselpacks.com.
A size for ages 13 and older is also in the works. Follow the startup at facebook.com/neselpacks.
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