Friday, May 10, 2013

InTouch - a video link system for people with dementia

I found this project, which is similar to my current field research where I connect with the Telewalker (yes, the Teletalker on wheels - teletalker.org) residents with each other in different lounges of a care home. Since I'm still in the preparation phase I can't report much about my field research.
Though reading about this project it shows me how current my research is and whilst there are many similarities, my research is different.

InTouch is aimed at people with dementia, to reduce their social isolation, so that friends and family can contact them with an intuitive video link system. I found it particularly interesting that they choose to use a traditional telephone handset combined with a touch screen, which supports the argument to choose technology people are familiar with, well with the hand set at least.

My research focus less on the video call, but more on the notion of presence by connecting two lounges with an online window.

I plan to contact the organisers of this project to learn more. In particular, how they worked with data gathering by older people with dementia.

Find out more about InTouch on this website.

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