Verhalentafel goes mobile
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!
Tales of Things
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