Designing Interactive Music Systems with and for People with Dementia

Abstract

In this paper, we outline the process applied in designing and developing an interactive and networked music system for people with dementia. We first describe the strategy we used to include both people with dementia and caretakers. As the symptoms of dementia vary greatly, we decided to address this diversity of needs. We describe the use-scenarios, which illustrate how people with dementia can gain access to curated selections of biographically meaningful music and take part in music therapy even if restricted mobility prevents their physical presence at sessions. Secondly, we focus on the structural and aesthetic requirements for the interaction design of tangible and screen-based user-interfaces. We conclude with issues of usability and levels of playfulness based on interactive prototypes that differ in complexity and form, and we share proposals for designing with and for dementia patients.