Senso, by Pelin Celik in cooperation with Pilotfish is a three-part product concept that on the one hand deals with the communication world of dementia patients and on the other hand goes into the individual needs of persons without dementia. Because both have one thing in common: forgetting.

The Senso concept is designed for an early to a moderately severe stage of dementia. Senso makes it possible for the sufferer to remember names of people again or to find the familiar way back home again. It will help dementia sufferers to retain their independence as long as possible and will calm situations in which the patient feels helpless and lost.

To ensure that using the Senso products becomes as natural and normal as using a phone, they have to be used from the very early stages of dementia. From this point came the idea of designing a product which corresponds to a universal design and appeals to a broader target group. If people have learned very early on to use the product, they will also be more able to remember and count on it in the event of dementia. This preventative function of the Senso concept is of great importance, as demographic changes show that in the future, there will be less people able to take care of the growing number of elderly.

Senso consists of three product components: the Personal Lifebook, the Souffleur and the EMO Pillow.

The Personal Lifebook is a diary that helps a person maintain her independence in daily life for as long as possible. It interacts with the Souffleur and helps recall people, times, places, and experiences. The integrated scanner also allows exchanging data with friends or relatives. The Personal Lifebook is a piece of identity for every person, whether afflicted or not yet afflicted with dementia.

The Souffleur is the little man in the user’s ear. It measures vital functions and serves as telephone receiver and as hearing aid. In case of memory difficulties, it whispers the correct answer in the user’s ear.

The EMO Pillow is a cushion that stimulates the senses like seeing, hearing, smelling, and feeling. This way, it helps to draw out deep hidden positive memories again. It is more intended for the domestic area to comfort and remind. It may be used to listen to music, look at digital photos, and remember things through their smells. It is a cushion to which the user can nestle and enjoy warmth. EMO also becomes a haptic experience by changing its surface structure.

All three supportive products help the user to retain their identity. The design is self-explanatory and simple, as well as technical and emotional. The functions adapt to the needs of the user and less important functions therefore move to the background.

The Senso concept forms a bridge between the dement people and society. It prevents dementia patients from being excluded from society, because with their “memory helper” they no longer stand out, they retain their independence and can actively take part in life.

At this year’s red dot design concept competition, Senso received one of the highest international design distinctions worldwide: the red dot: best of the best award 2007. Selected as best of its category in the sector ‘Life Science’, Senso was one of eighteen concepts chosen among 884 submissions from 46 countries awarded for their outstanding and innovative design.

copyright by Pelin Celik & Pilotfish