A point in the right direction: a simple navigation device for people with dementia

Dementia is one of the major societal challenges of the near future. Over the next few decades the population of people with dementia is estimated to double, with all kinds of consequences. For them to maintain a high quality of life, the design of new intelligent solutions to support them is needed. One major problem is orientation in public spaces, which prevents people
leaving their house. To address this problem we designed a compass that points them in the right direction. An iterative design process was followed during which prototypes were created and evaluated with experts and users. After this process, a field study was performed with eight participants
using a working prototype. Within this field study the participants were asked to use the compass to find two unknown places in their neighbourhood and then walk home. The results from the test show that most participants managed to fulfil the tasks; however, there were still moments of confusion. Furthermore, the chosen metaphor, a compass, seemed viable for navigation: participants were capable and willing to follow the device. Additionally, new requirements were found for the device such as improved wearability and a need for more feedback. However, conflicting information should be avoided. Also, related to safety, the device should not draw too much attention away from the environment. Our future ambition is to make a standalone prototype, which could be used by users with dementia over a longer period of time.