meelo is a multisensory activation system for people with dementia that connects personal photo tokens with recorded stories, music and sounds, making memories easy to access and helping caregivers create moments of connection and engagement.
Define the problem/need you are solving or addressing with your project. How does it address the Open Call criteria, such as environmental impact, social engagement, circularity, user experience, resource efficiency, and community-driven solutions?
People living with dementia often face social isolation, stigma and limited opportunities for meaningful engagement. Caregivers frequently lack biographical knowledge and simple tools to support conversation and emotional connection, while many digital solutions are too complex for people with cognitive decline.
meelo addresses this need through an intuitive activation system that links personal memories like photos, stories, music and sounds to tangible tokens that trigger audio and multisensory experiences. The system was co-designed in close cooperation with people living with dementia and caregivers, ensuring accessibility, dignity and a positive user experience.
The project strengthens social engagement and community-driven care by enabling families and caregivers to collaboratively create meaningful content. In addition, meelo follows a circular product approach: it is designed for durability, repair and recycling, and integrates a digital product passport to support transparency, responsible material use and long-term resource efficiency.
Please describe your project, reflecting on the concept, inspiration, materials, technical aspects, methods and process(es).
Caregivers use an AI-supported app to link short, personal audio stories, music and sounds to tangible photo tokens. When a token is placed on the audio box, the corresponding memory plays automatically. Optional multisensory modules such as light, video or scent can further enhance the experience.
The audiobox of meelo is inspired by early radios, because they were present throughout most of the lives of the target group. This familiar form reduces technological barriers and supports intuitive use.
The system was developed through a user-centered design process in close collaboration with people living with dementia and caregivers. Materials are selected for resource efficiency and durability, and the product is designed so components can be separated by material type for repair and recycling. This approach supports a circular product lifecycle while enabling meaningful shared moments that foster conversation, emotional connection and activation.
What do you think makes your project innovative compared to the existing efforts and ideas in the field it addresses?
meelo is innovative because it combines tangible interaction, personalized storytelling and multisensory activation in a system specifically designed for people with dementia. Instead of relying on complex screens or menus, familiar photo tokens trigger memories through a simple physical action, making the system accessible even as cognitive abilities decline.
Another key innovation is the combination of physical and digital elements: an AI-supported app enables caregivers and families to easily create and personalize content, while the audio box translates this into an intuitive, shared experience.
The project also integrates sustainability and circular design. The device is developed for durability, repair and recycling, and includes a digital product passport to improve transparency and resource efficiency throughout the product lifecycle.
Finally, meelo was co-designed with people living with dementia and caregivers, ensuring that the solution directly reflects the real needs, abilities and everyday contexts of its users.
Does it impact or reflect young people need(s) and how?
Although dementia mainly affects older adults, it strongly impacts younger generations as family members, informal caregivers and future care professionals. As dementia cases are expected to increase significantly in the coming decades, younger people will increasingly face the challenge of supporting relatives with cognitive decline.
meelo helps younger generations stay connected with affected family members by providing an intuitive way to share memories, stories and music. Through the app, children and grandchildren can easily contribute personal content, strengthening intergenerational interaction and emotional bonds.
The project also raises awareness about dementia, empathy and inclusive design, encouraging younger people to engage with the topic and participate in meaningful care practices. By combining digital tools with simple tangible interaction, meelo demonstrates how future care solutions can be accessible, human-centered and socially connected, addressing a growing societal challenge that will affect younger generations both personally and professionally.
