Senso.a companion for life

red dot: best of the best
red dot award: design concept 2007

design:
Pelin Celik		Pilotfish

Senso is a three-part product concept that on the one hand deals with the communication world of dementia patients, and on the other hand goes into the individual needs of persons without dementia. The link is that both groups of people have one thing in common: forgetting.

The Senso concept is designed for the early to moderately severe stages of dementia. Senso makes it possible for the sufferer to remember the names of people or to find the familiar route home. It will help dementia sufferers to keep their independence as long as possible and will calm situations in which the individual feels helpless and lost.

To ensure that using the Senso products becomes as natural and normal as using a phone, they have to be used from the very early stages of dementia. From this point came the idea of designing a product that corresponds with universal design and appeals to a broad target group. If people have learned very early on to use the product, they will also be more able to remember it and count on it in the event of dementia. This preventative function of the Senso concept is of great importance, as demographic changes show that in the future there will be less people able to take care of the growing number of elderly persons.

Senso consists of three product components: the Personal Lifebook, the Souffleur and the EMO Pillow. The Personal Lifebook is a diary that helps a person maintain independence in daily life for as long as possible. It interacts with the Souffleur and helps recall people, times, places, and experiences. The integrated scanner also allows for the exchange of data with friends or relatives. The Personal Lifebook is a piece of identity for every person, whether afflicted or not yet afflicted with dementia.

The Souffleur is the ‘little man’ in the user’s ear. It measures vital functions and serves as telephone receiver and hearing aid. In case of memory difficulties, it whispers the correct answer in the user’s ear. The EMO Pillow is a cushion that stimulates the senses like seeing, hearing, smelling, and feeling. This way, it helps to draw out deep hidden positive memories again. It is more intended for the domestic area, to comfort and remind. It may be used to listen to music, look at digital photos, and remember things through their smells. It is a cushion into which the user can nestle and enjoy warmth. The EMO Pillow also allows a haptic experience by changing its surface structure.