The Concept Old people are considered as a treasure of knowledge and experiences, but the only problem is today’s young generation is not actually connected to them. They spend most of their internet time on social networking sites. Wouldn’t it be nice if they could connect with older people to learn about things they know, for example rituals, recipes, costumes etc? Youngsters are really losing a grip of their traditions due to lack of communication. There should be a way that could use technology to bridge up this gap. Iris and Soma are two devices designed from research initiated by Intel. The two devices serve completely different purposes. Iris is a recording device that can be used to make video tutorials whereas Soma is a specially designed communication device. Both these devices can interact to make a bond between the two generations: young and old.
The inspiration
Older people are less flexible in learning about new things. There is a need for the device that could help them interact with other people at home. This would in a sense benefit young people and would give them opportunity to learn about customs and traditions. People need to preserve their traditions to know who they are and for this very purpose, learning from experienced person is the best thing one could desire for. Audio visual medium is the best since it is informative, takes less time and is not boring and also provides a practical knowledge of the situation. Also, making things clear by visualizing them is far easier than using words to explain them.
The design:
The technology is incorporated with the help of two different devices namely Iris and soma.
Iris
Iris is basically a motion capturing device with a camera. One can record tutorial with it and share it with the loved ones. You can make a cooking video to teach your granddaughter the recipe that she has been asking for. Also you can teach them a lot about old customs to preserve traditions in your family. People always learn quickly through videos, any other printed media and audio rather than books. You can slower down the speed to your own specific learning capabilities. This device could be a whole archive of different cultures and customs for collective use of family members.
Soma
Soma can be looked as a modified mobile gadget that could be used for fruitful interaction with a whole new feel. This device would help to remove the communication gap between generations. Aging weakens all the senses but the touch of sense is the most unharmed sense in older people. The simplistic touch is the unique characteristic of this device that lets older people communicate through simple touch interface. The device has a folding screen like old Chinese scrolls made of bamboo. Hence this device shares valuable media in form of audio and visual. The conventional touch surface is modified for utility purposes like a keypad, scroll down and power On/Off. Older people need something that is large and more importantly easier to understand. Soma’s touch interaction can serve various purposes according to the need and situation. The arc lightning system provides alternative to alert people who develop hearing problems in old age through visual patterns. This also buffs their visual capabilities.
The Fabulous
The design has been made as straight forward as possible. Difficulty in learning new things at an older age is the root cause of making everything minimalistic and simple. It is a great medium to teach your kids about the culture in depth through experienced people in the family. This will also create a bind between them which seems to be fading out nowadays. This also provides older people a medium to interact with family members like their grandsons and granddaughters sitting at home.
The Target
The device related research has been conducted in Asian society. So the main target audience is them but, this is essential for most of the societies. Young generation is unaware of their customs and traditions that would lead to a fading culture. It is desirable to preserve ones history and tradition. This device is a great learning tool and avoids boring printed medium. This would be a big hit in the Asian society where customs and traditions are being followed for hundreds of years.
Related Trends
1. Jive
Jive is specially designed for elderly people so that they can interact with their dear ones. In jive you have an ID which is linked with your digital life. User simply attaches a friend pass to their account. All of the information appears on the display storage device Betty. To know more about the friend you just flash the respective pass on the screen.
2. Sonamba
Sonamba is a communication device made for older demographic. The touchscreen device looks like a photo frame and is designed for older people who live independent. This would help them get in touch with their family and friends. It can also serve a lot of other functions like creating notes, adding reminder alerts and even play games to kill time. There is a special button that can be used to let to set away or home. This is for people who check up on them. There is an integrated pendent with the device that can be worn around the neck. The pendent has a panic button which can be pressed to make a call in emergency situations.
3. Smart Table
The smart table system has a messenger that uses infrared and pressure sensors for interaction. The best thing is it does not need any computer to function. The home television can be used for video calls and the table serves as the interface. The built in IR sensor detects the presence of person in the room. As soon as it detects presence it displays the messages and online friends. The pillow has pressure sensors on which the user sits. It indicates if the person is online or not.
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