A new way of communicating
Jack Chen and Dennis Schuivens are graduates from the Sandberg Institute, the master’s degree programme at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy (Dutch academy for fine arts and design in Amsterdam). During a design research project, they were touched by the impact dementia had on patients and their families and, in particular, in terms of the loss of contact. They investigated what connects people and how complex communication can be simplified.
Touch and sound
They discovered that people with dementia are sensitive to dynamic stimulation: things that change. The CRDL responds to this. It is no coincidence that the researchers decided on a solution that incorporated touch and sound. Tactile sense is one of the most direct sensory experiences. Touch is close, intimate and personal; it literally bridges the physical distance to make contact. Sounds and music are a particularly effective way to recall memories. In addition, the auditive memory of people with dementia also remains intact for a long time. By connecting touch and sound, the CRDL helps brake a person’s isolation when a normal conversation is no longer possible.
