Memory Machine

The Memory Machine (MeMa) adopts the proposed system architecture of the Chronicle system currently being developed at Horizon. MeMa aims to contextualise personal memories (e.g., pictures, videos, music) into a core ’timeline’ of other shared and public multimedia content from various sources for the purpose of creating personalised digital souvenirs and digital repositories for the end-of-life. These  artefacts will not only encapsulate rich emotional value in themselves, but offer engaging tools for personal reflection, history education, interventions for dementia care and for accessing cultural heritage.

This project will start with a basic literature review/audit of current commercial solutions (e.g., digital, interactive, virtual/augmented reality) that combine personal data with multimedia content. Special attention will be given to the potential health applications in dementia care.

Following principles of user-centred and interaction designed, MeMa will be tested among the general population but also among dementia carers. To do that, we will run a series of focus groups to understand the context of use (e.g., when, why, how); barriers/enablers to use; relevant types of ‘core’ content and so on. Through a series of iterative exercises, the project will be developed from low-fidelity prototypes to explore how users would engage with the product and alternative physical / screen-based interfaces. We will develop a tablet-based working prototype, with accessible core content, basic interface and functionality to upload and record additional content (i.e., audio, images, sound bites, etc.).

We will consider introducing the possibility to input ‘collective experiences’ and consider the social/collective component of the system, by allowing users to share memories or ‘build memories together’ to counter feelings of loneliness or disconnection, especially among older adults.

IMH Centre for Dementia Blog