TouchME

This is my final bachelor project and i was assigned the challenge of designing for dementia through touch ( at a distance). However, it was later defined that the application of "at a distance" was done so as a method of exploration, especially during COVID-19. Hence, I decided not to focus as much on that aspect, but circle around and explore touch and how it could be used to the advantage of the people with dementia.

Expertise:
CreatIvIty & Aesthetics

Technology & Realization

User & Society

06/09/2022 - 23/01/2023

ROLE:

Technology Realization

Aesthetics of Interaction

Creative thinking

User Research

User Interaction

TouchME is an interactive cloth that offers a flexible, tangible interface for a multi-sensory experience for people with dementia to provide them with n array of textures to fidget, touch, squeeze and move around through. TouchME provides scenery of naturesque, rustic aspects found outside and that we come across on a daily basis. The cloth is divided into 4 modules, where each area encompasses a particular array of the scenery of textures. Each of these modules is connected to a sound if the person with dementia was present in such an environment. This cloth provides a flexible, tangible, multi-sensory interaction for people with dementia which in hopes to improve social cohesion which in turn reduces apathy and improves social behaviors that is persistent in people with dementia. The cloth is placed on an elevated platform which acts as a sound touchpad, hence, this is ideal to be placed in a familiar and safe space that the person with dementia recognizes.

PROJECT GOAL

The focus is set on early-onset dementia to understand the needs or wants of such early progress. People with early-onset dementia go through changes in behaviors regression into emotional disturbances, Often repetition of actions and questions unable to consider the consequences of the actions, a few suffer from sensory perceptions, furthermore, also a slow loss in memory encircling remembering names, and tasks, and/or misplacing objects. As the stages progress, their body becomes more vulnerable unable to protect themselves from various aggravating diseases.

My main focus was coveted on characteristics more present rather than lost, hence, shifting to activities that would help jog their memory providing reminiscence. With such a quality, it was feasible to indulge in experience-centered design to dive into the world of dementia and its care. The common most characteristics that people with dementia search for are, social connectedness, independence, and active participation, hence, being able to express and converse with themselves

The main goal is to provide methods of communication, in addition to verbal. Since the progression of dementia in many cases results in aphasia, leading to difficulties with speaking or verbally expressing themselves, in turn fueling symptoms of BPSD. Due to this stigmatization, people with dementia are only identified by these symptoms. Moreover, there is an ongoing protest to find a way to "reclaim and reframe" the concept of "self" in order to best position people with dementia. People with dementia are often excluded due to such stigmatization, demeaning them from social interactions and eventually being withdrawn. Hence, people with dementia need to be recognized for their different forms of communication and support their sense of belonging and social cohesion.

PROBLEMS

Storyboard for TouchME

IDEATIONS

1st Ideation

3rd Ideation: Mid term Demo Day

ELECTRONICS

Main Poster for Demo Day

Here is the Final Report: Click Here