This Device Triggers Memories In Alzheimer's Patients By Playing Music They Remember

By Adele Peters (12-23-14)

Playing a song from the past won't make it easier for patients to remember individuals, but it will cut down on stress.

In patients with Alzheimer's disease, songs from the past can have an almost magical ability to trigger memories—even when someone previously couldn't recognize family members or even have a conversation.

Inspired by research that proves the effects of music therapy on memory, a group of design students created a concept for a new mp3 player that can help patients remember who they are and reconnect with the world.

When someone walks into the room, the player, called Remind, can play what the designers call a "recognition" song. "If someone does not recognize a family member nor remember their relationship to them, the idea is to try using a song or a familiar sound when a face is not enough," says Emily Keller, one of a group of four designers from Sweden's Umea Institute of Design who worked on the project.

Read more about this device or watch this short clip to see how it works.