Sanduo
Inclusive Design
Helping foster communication through relaxing play.
Project Type
Individual, Studio Class
Time
7 weeks
Semester
4, Spring 2022
Every 3 seconds, someone in the world develops dementia
Alzheimer's Disease International
My grandmother is one of those people
While helping care for my grandmother, I observed a few frustrations she had in her daily life
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Difficulty Communicating
Confusion
Anxiety
From these observations, I questioned...
How might we foster productive communication for people with dementia so that their needs can be better met?
How might we design a device to relieve anxiety for people with dementia so that they have a better quality of life as they navigate cognitive decline?
Ideation
Chosen Concept
Sand Box
Sand play is a therapeutic tool for those living with dementia.
Family members or caregivers are encouraged to join in on the fun
Familiar botanicals, photos, or other figurines help trigger memories
Communication flows naturally as the user plays with the sand
Features
01
Tools
02
Handles for Transport
03
Fine Grain Sand
04
Botanical / Memory Storage
Full Scale Prototyping
Testing
Sand + Duo = Sanduo
For a small moment in time, my grandmother joyfully recollected memories of her past
Testing brought many insights into how people interacted with Sanduo and its affects on them.
Sanduo was (and still is) well loved by my grandmother and family members included. For the first time in a while, my grandmother was relaxed, happy, and able to recall memories with the people in the photos.
