Social
Spaces

The Waag Society, a Dutch organisation that investigates social applications of networked technology, designed a “Story table” (“Verhalentafel”) a few years ago with film, music and spoken word fragments which date from the period between 1920 and 1980. Old people can digitally leave their comments on this table, so it requires an active attittude. It is a risky design, since it introduces quite advanced technology and a very hybrid collage of media in a elderly home. At the same time it plays with trust, through de design of a classical, wooden table. This table aimed at older people overcoming their fears about new technologies and breaking down their social isolation (www.waag.org/project/verhalentafel). In the meantime a mobile version, in the form a wooden suitcase, is designed adapted to changing life circumstances of elderly in Dutch society (http://www.waag.org/project/mobieleverhalentafel). We are very curious about the sequel!

In May a conference on Inclusive Design finds place in beautiful Norway, called Innovation for all. This might be an interesting conference for all of you who are interested in including different groups in society in design and generating innovative business outputs via this process.

The latest weeks we have been exploring the potential of an Internet of Things for memories and – by extension – for dementia. Tales of Things, a collaboration project between five universities, is developing a project very close to our interests in this perspective. ‘Tales of Things’ “(…) encourages users to ‘tag’ objects with digital media using the sort of technology found in Oyster Cards and bar codes. Users can upload an image of the object and an associated memory in the form of text, audio or video to the project’s website – talesofthings.com – or using a dedicated iPhone application”.
http://machineslikeus.com/news/project-explores-internet-things.

Picture by Kurt Stockman, Timelab, Ghent

Yesterday, nursing students and occupational therapy students of Hogeschool Zuyd and products design students of KHLim Media & Design Academie Genk presented their concepts for a new bed pan. Various design solutions were shown during this meeting. This innovative project was initiated by Arion.

The synergy of three different study programs was very efficient. Students involved had a very positive experience. Working in
multidisciplinary
groups enabled the students to explore the current bed pans from various perspectives. The three groups used a human centered design method in their approaches to design a new bed pan. Students learned to be critical towards resources and processes in health care.

The concepts designed by the students were part of a first brainstorm phase. Arion will present and evaluate their concepts with field specialists to create a final list of demands concerning the productdevelopment of the future bed pan.

The campaign Ouderzorg: een gouden job should encourage young people to opt for a professional career in the elderly care. To give them a different perspective on elderly (care), the exhibition of our design research project Zorgeloos wonen in de ouderenzorg travels along with the campaign.  Yesterday ‘Gedeputeerde van Welzijn’ Erika Thijs played the first board game in the context of the campaign with the students from the Martinusschool in Bilzen and Jessie and I guided them through the exhibition.