As world populations grow older the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementia related illnesses increases (approximately 18 million sufferers worldwide). One particularly devastating effect of AD is the loss of short-term memory, which radically impairs the sufferer’s ability to communicate. People with dementia, however, often retain a facility for long-term memory that can function strongly given appropriate stimulation.
Project CIRCA (Computer Interactive Reminiscence and Conversation Aid), utilizes interactive multimedia (including audio, video, animation and QuickTime VR environments) to stimulate long-term memory to prompt verbal and non-verbal communication.
