From the Create4Deentia Hackathon 2015

1. The$Confabulators$at$$Create&4&Demen+a&
May$30th431st,$2015$
An$interac<ve$&$embodied$ac<vity$to$support$shared$experiences$in$demen<a$care$

2. SwaytheBand$is$informed$by$a$longitudinal$ethnography$of$demen<a$care$(Morrissey$&$
McCarthy,$2015)$which$found$that$residents$engaged$‘organically’$with$musical$ac<vi<es$

4. Proximity, presence & hands
‘[…]$Moira$took$my$hand$and$we$swayed$from$side4
to4side$half4singing$the$songs.$$
$
guide$ my$ hand$ in$ a$ sort$ of$ a$ twirling,$ twis<ng$
paPern$in$the$air$in$rhythm$to$the$music.$$
$
She$ squeezed$ my$ hand$ very$ <ghtly$ and$ ran$ her$
fingers$over$my$knuckles.$
!
(Excerpt!from!field!notes)!

5. What we learned from the experts –
our approach
• $ Inspired$by$Michael’s$more$playful$examples$
– The$Robo<c$Seal$
– Soundtrack$to$my$Life$–$music$as$a$way$of$geXng$
to$know$someone$
• Encouraging$everyday$ac<vi<es$(David)$
– Fun$rather$than$perfunctory$
• Technology$as$a$mee<ng$place$(Claire)$
– Coming$together$through$music$and$technology$
$

6. What we learned from the experts –
our approach
• Concerns$4$must$be$opt4in$
– Extended$this$to$playful$ac<vi<es$where$not$everyone$
will$want$to$par<cipate$
– Reflec<ng$mul<ple$ways$of$par<cipa<ng$in$music$
• Aesthe<cs$–$valuing$the$user$(Stephen)$
– Based$the$design$on$exis<ng$hand4held$musical$
instruments$(tambourines$etc)$
• A$spectrum$of$good$design$$(Michael)$
– This$could$be$fun$everyone$–$not$just$for$people$living$
with$demen<a$

7. SwaytheBand:
$
• Batons$change$colour$with$the$music’s$beat$–$this$<me$
we$hard4code$song$structure$to$illustrate$tempo$and$
rhythm$–$future$is$bpm$
$
• We$encourage$par<cipants$to$hold$hands$and$hold$the$
trigger$together$
$e.g.$4$controllers$=$5$people$
• Controllers$can$be$“downed”$at$any$<me$to$opt$out$of$
play$as$they$turn$off$
$

9. We chose Jo Stafford’s ‘Shrimp Boats’
to illustrate the use of SwaytheBand.!
!
The jaunty song is meaningful to
residents and promotes swaying and
reminiscence.

10. SwaytheBand – to answer
• Is$the$technology$engaging$and$enriching$for$
residents$of$demen<a$care?$
• How$can$we$use$SwaytheBand$to$promote$
community$moments$in$demen<a$care?$
• How$do$residents$&$carers$appropriate$or$
change$their$use$of$SwaytheBand?$
• What$is$the$place$of$SwaytheBand$in$live$
music$sessions$for$people$with$demen<a?$

11. Thank you!