XTD202

Dementia
Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) This is where the dementia sufferer is aware of there memory not functioning properly. Noticing that there becoming forgetful. Struggling with concentration. The most common form of dementia. Brain cells die faster than normally expected in the aging process. Progressive form of dementia that develops over time. General loss in interest and lack of initiative. The second most common for of dementia. This affects the blood supply to the brain cells, causing the cells to not function properly or die. Some areas of the brain may be unaffected. Progression is in obvious stages rather than a gradual reduction in skills. Two Sub Types Stroke- related dementia Mixed Vascular dementia and Alzheimer.

initial thoughts
Telephone with digital photograph buttons. E Ink, Colour OLED

Alzheimers

Vascular

Digital Photograph Frame with Tagging interaction. Allows for them to reassure themselves when looking at faces. Using audio in-conjunction with this, having spoken names when photograph is being viewed.

Establishing a Direction
Talking with a dementia sufferers relation, gaining information from them has been vital. The quick realisation that the initial thoughts werent deep enough to have a positive impact.

MILD PROGRESSIVE PROGRESSED

User Insight
These insights are extracted from an informal conversation with a dementia sufferers closest relative/immediate caregiver. The sufferer learns to cope with the issues that come with dementia by developing generic phrases when communicating with others. This is accepting the dementia and not working against its development. Delaying the onset by 5 years would reduce deaths directly attributed to dementia from 60,000 to 30,000.

User Insight
The relative is already stretched for time with the added stress of there loved ones deteriorating condition. Making communication harder and an extremely continuous effort when in person, this is then even more of a struggle when communicating over the phone. Trying to push against the dismissal of dementia, to challenging the parameters that the suffer has is of a huge importance. The main goal is to assist with easing communication when physical contact isnt an option. An important by-product of this is to relieve the stresses and strains on the relation, aiming to put pleasure back into there communication.

Them-Self

Not knowing there condition and the loneliness that comes with reduced cognitive ability.

Family&Friends

Supplementing the Dementia sufferers independence with there own.

The Start of Something

Taking a developed approach towards video/audio calls, thinking about its features in respect of a dementia sufferers abilities. From those with MCI through to the severely developed.

Friends&Family

Maintaining an active lifestyle, still reinforced and supported.

Them-Self

Once an extremely independent individual. Now struggling with everyday activities.

Using a familiar format of a telephone but introducing a common well established consumer service. Incorporating Skype into a telephone/video system thats simple and very intuitive to use. Dementia sufferers tend to find visual stimulus easier to process rather than that of written text. Creating a simple visual digital phone book with a touch or physical user interface.

Human Factors
Dementia Non-Dementia FEATURES

Initial Sketches
Utilising the biggest screen in there house there television, turning it into a video call display. Using a camera and a television remote control,to navigate a digital phone book through the TV. Noise Cancelling & directional Microphone

Simple Minimal Straight forwards to use Light weight if user is to hold device To work with smart-phones, Laptops and tablets 1960-1980 appearance? Retro telephone Appropriate packaging for 2013 Consumer? Compact Core communication device Non wireless (so location cant be changed) 60s - 70s styling to fit in with other furnishings

Manual Focus and Zoom Lenses

FORMAT FIT

LED Activity Indicator

Ethernet, HDMI Out and DC in

Adjustable Angle

Camera Unit

Detailing

Means of getting the right angle for the video camera, with out fiddly feet and there fragile appearance.

Using different angels on each side, working with an accelerometer, alowing the angles on the top and bottom to be used. With out effecting the cameras

Remote Control

Detailing
Creating the right form for the overall controller as well as the buttons.

The Controller is to feature an inferred output with a minimal button face. Having all the standard buttons and only adding essential buttons to help the experience of use. The added buttons being the accept and reject call buttons. Also a secondary mic to insure for clear audio, as dementia sufferers are often softly spoken due to a lack confidence in what there about to say as well as there age.

Sketch Models

Television GUI
Incoming Call

Developing models to get a feel for the product, especially with the remote. To see if feels right in the hand and if the reach to the buttons is to far a stretch or not. The camera model was more for testing the scale of whats appropriate, whether or not it will be a large item on the TV stand from across the room.

Call accepted by dementia sufferer

Call Ended

Relatives Device GUI

Using everyday personal items, the smart-phone, tablet computer, smart TV or another setup on a different television. Making this hugely accessible. Giving the dementia suffers relations control over setup and editing from a remote location. Updating and adding contacts when needed. This gives them the option to update and manipulate the settings of the system as there dementia develops. From the mild minimal input through to the option for severely developed of allowing forced through calls, this option should be fully evaluated and assessed by the relation before accessing this option.

The Device
There are three key components to this device. The camera unit, that houses the tech that makes it all come together. The TV remote that give a simple physical interface to interact with the GUI. It also makes use of another microphone to allow for clearer audio. Finally it rely on the dementia sufferers relation having an internet enabled device such as a Smart-phone, TV or Computer.

The Relation is coming home from a busy day of work. Not wanting to phone the dementia sufferer as it will be a hard and stressful experience. Thats where the device will come into its own. They sit down on the sofa, get out there computer tablet and start a call to the dementia sufferer. There face and name then come up on the dementia sufferers TV in conjunction with a telephone ringing sound. They then accept the call whilst sitting in there living room with a potentially large and clear view of there relation. The relation is then able to see the sufferer and more importantly there expressions, thus aiding the clarity of conversation.

Feasibility, Viability, Desirability

Feasibility:
The technology to develop this is currently available. Through the use of the raspberry Pi or another small micro computer system running android. It would need: Camrea Ethernet port, HDMI Output (RCA adaptor), Directional Microphone, Noise Cancelling Microphone, Camera, Inferred receiver. Remote Buttons, Inferred output. This could then run an altered version of Skype where the GUI will be simplified and accessible from an external device.

Viability

Desirability

800,000 people were diognosed with dementia in 2012 with this projected to increce to 1,000,000 by 2021. So theres a huge amount of people that could benifit from the its use. Aswell as it costing the Uk 23billion with another 8billion worth of care coming from family members. This shows the huge investments towards dementia, in mannaging there development. Its aimed towards easing communication in a potentially stressful situation. Bringing face to face communication towards those who could feel alienated by non physical contact. Its aimed to develop with dementia, allowing for it to be continuously updated. One key feature that can be enabled or disabled is for the severely developed, the forced through call. Although this has be created with dementia in mind it could be a beneficial product for all elderly people. Allowing them to see the people close to them without being daunted by a computer. Just a new channel on the TV.

Sustainability