Socially Ingenious | Examples

Games for children with disabilities.

The WAI-NOT foundation works on social inclusion, specifically for people with intellectual disabilities. WAI-NOT offers youngsters a customized website that includes simple games of which some examples.

WAI-NOT wants to offer network games that make it possible for young people to register and play online games against each other. An ingenious social challenge.

A pedometer for wheelchair users

A regular pedometer does not work for a wheelchair user. But how can you monitor physical activity and measure the energy of someone in a wheelchair? The athletes are looking for a solution! This project is run in partnership with the Sport and Exercise programme of Thomas More.

Rocking bed for elderly

The Care-ethical lab deSpiegeling, is looking for an electrically powered rocking bed. The bed is meant for restless elderly. The rocking motion can bring peace of mind and prevent shouting. Unfortunately, no standard rocking bed for adults exists. Sometimes people with shouting behavior are sedated. A rocking bed is a much better alternative. Possibly the bed can also play a role for people with physical inactivity, such as elderly people who are bedridden or those with prolonged paralysis. Existing commercial models are not suitable for a care center. In the environment of a care center special functions apply: safety (fall prevention), ergonomics (adjustable height, wheels) and hygiene (incontinence).

Whatsapp with icons?

People who have difficulties reading and writing often use icons to communicate. But how do you use icons to communicate through a smartphone? A WhatsApp alternative with icons? Quite a challenge!

Reward system for a hearing test for babies and toddlers. 

Hearing tests for infants and toddlers can be complicated. They can not indicate (eg. raise the finger) if the sound is audible to them.

One can try to condition them to turn to an attractive object (moving, colorful). Who designs something that really works? More info? Look at the Cera-Award website.

Take a picture from a wheelchair. 

Many people with mobility impairments have mounted their smartphone on a tripod on their wheelchair. They use a joystick to access the apps on the smartphone. One of the greatest difficulties in this respect is to take a picture. Today they must turn the entire wheelchair in order to focus the camera on the subject. This is not always convenient, especially for those who have difficulty steering their wheelchair. Our challenge: How to turn the camera into the right direction without turning the wheelchair?

Visualisation of an agenda

Visualizing events in a digital agenda through clearly visible signs in the physical environment. Digital calendars like Google Calendar already have a wide variety of options to be notified of an upcoming event, through vibration, sound, text to speech, LED lights on the smartphone or sms. If you don't have your smartphone on hand however, this does not work. For example, the user is taking a nap upstairs while the smartphone is still downstairs. It could be helpful if other home devices would send a signal that an event is coming up. The challenge is to create a device that produces light and / or audio signal when an alarm occurs in a digital agenda.

An app supporting people with depression

People recovering from a serious depression are in need of the right information that helps them understand their disease, contributes to the recovery process and puts them back on track. An application could support such patients by handing them information that helps them to take control of their healing process at their own pace. Alternatively, the app can also be a tool to keep in touch with a professional caretaker or peers. An additional button, that puts in motion an action plan if patients feel that things are turning bad, could be an option. Who dares to take on the challenge of developing this modular app?