Kindergartener Vennela Attili had a problem that might be familiar to children everywhere: She struggled to fall asleep by herself. Every night, her mom would sit with her, pat her back, and help her drift off–but often, Vennela’s mom would fall asleep before Vennela did! One day in school, Vennela’s teacher asked her to come up with an idea for an invention. The next time Vennela was lying awake, she realized she could invent a solution. Using a teddy bear, spare cloth, sticks, and a vibrating motor, Vennela created a prototype for an invention she named “Happy Sleep.” 

The Happy Sleep doll is a stuffed animal that mimics body temperature, breath sounds, and gentle movement to create the comfort of a living being that can help lull a child to sleep. Vennela won a Merit Award for her Happy Sleep invention at the 2019 Invention Convention Worldwide and received U.S. Patent 11,020,678 B2 in 2021. She gave her invention the tagline “Happy sleep makes happy kids” and hopes that it will provide comfort to children everywhere, especially those who are undergoing chemotherapy or dealing with health issues.