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MomBoard: E-ink display for a parent with amnesia

jan.miksovsky.com

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Re: MomBoard: E-ink display for a parent with amnesia

#41

Post by harpastum »

tekchip wrote: post #28

Pimeroni has a selection of eink displays up to 7.3" including some with various buttons and LEDs to make whatever you'd like. https://shop.pimoroni.com/search?q=inky All boox tablet/e-readers just run Android. They can do literally anything Android can for folks asking about the loading and displaying of the web page. There are several "kiosk" apps and browsers with kiosk modes. Also fairly expensive Android automat…

If you're comfortable with microcontrollers (esp32/arduino), I can definitely recommend Inkplate. I found them when I was making a similar setup for my parents, and they have various sizes up to 10" and up to 6 colors they can display.

You can either just get the module, or buy with a battery and mountable case already attached. I think all of the models are also available via Digikey and Mouser if people don't trust random websites.

https://soldered.com/categories/inkplate/

Re: MomBoard: E-ink display for a parent with amnesia

#42

Post by harpastum »

grahameb wrote: post #3

What a beautiful use of technology to uphold someone's personhood, and let them know they are loved, despite (and with regard to) a profound injury. This reminds me of a desire I've had for a long time: a simple, wall-mountable eInk device that could be configured with a URL (+wifi creds) and render a markdown file, refreshing once every hour or so. It would be so useful for so many applications – I'm a parish priest…

If you're comfortable with microcontrollers (esp32/arduino), I can definitely recommend Inkplate. I found them when I was making a similar setup for my parents, and they have various sizes up to 10" and up to 6 colors they can display.

You can either just get the module, or buy with a battery and mountable case already attached. I think all of the models are also available via Digikey and Mouser if people don't trust random websites.

https://soldered.com/categories/inkplate/

Re: MomBoard: E-ink display for a parent with amnesia

#43

Post by wjnc »

krisoft wrote: post #4

This is such a wonderful story, and I'm so happy that the author found something which worked well for their mom. > Despite her amnesia, my mom came to remember that this display exits and what it’s for. She looks forward to seeing updates from her children on it. This is the most interesting part for me here. Brains are such wondrous things. Would be cool to know if this is a special quirk of her mom or this is some…

Somebody else posted Henry Molaison [1] and there is a link to Repetition priming [2]. Seems some memories are stored in other locations.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Molaison [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repetition_priming

Re: MomBoard: E-ink display for a parent with amnesia

#44

Post by ryanckulp »

steezeburger wrote: post #37
grahameb wrote: post #3

What a beautiful use of technology to uphold someone's personhood, and let them know they are loved, despite (and with regard to) a profound injury. This reminds me of a desire I've had for a long time: a simple, wall-mountable eInk device that could be configured with a URL (+wifi creds) and render a markdown file, refreshing once every hour or so. It would be so useful for so many applications – I'm a parish priest…

I'm a backer, but this would probably fit your bill https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/usetrmnl/trmnl-the-e-in... I wanted the same kind of general eink device, but this is also supposedly super hackable!

hackable indeed :) https://docs.usetrmnl.com

no longer a Kickstarter btw, shipping same-day now (see homepage)

Re: MomBoard: E-ink display for a parent with amnesia

#45

Post by bregma »

My wife acquired anterograde amnesia after a car accident. This device may or may not have worked for her: she would probably have discovered the device anew every time (as in, every 10 minutes or so), although she would probably be pleased each time.

Thankfully she fully recovered after a few weeks. It takes a lot of patience to deal with someone like that, and you could tell it frequently caused a lot of frustration on her part. Every 10 minutes or so in fact.

Re: MomBoard: E-ink display for a parent with amnesia

#46

Post by ryanckulp »

pbronez wrote: post #7
yrxuthst wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You may be interested in https://github.com/aceinnolab/Inkycal , it looks like it's out of stock at the moment but they have pre-made devices or you can make your own with a list of parts.

That is super cool! I might need to build one of those. My family needs a way to keep the fridge calendar up to date with our digital calendar.

for your family cal, check out TRMNL. can go on a fridge w/ magnets: https://usetrmnl.com

(disclaimer, i'm the founder)

Re: MomBoard: E-ink display for a parent with amnesia

#48

Post by matteason »

lbotos wrote: post #25

Does anyone know if "Start its web browser and have that browser display a designated start page." is specific thing for this tablet or if that is "normal" in android? I want to do something similar for anki cards I'm struggling with, and I dunno if I'm in for a world of pain. I was considering https://shop.boox.com/products/go6 for my needs as it's a bit cheaper.

I've used https://www.fully-kiosk.com/ on Android tablets before (as meeting room status screens) and that's worked really well

Re: MomBoard: E-ink display for a parent with amnesia

#49

Post by medvezhenok »

ghosty141 wrote: post #22
frereubu wrote: post #12

This is one of the few HN articles that have profoundly moved me. Such a beautiful and simple use of technology to make a clear and big improvement in someone's life. As a side note on his mother remembering that the tablet exists, it sounds like she has amnesia quite like Henry Molaison, a famous case study in neuropathology. He had very specific brain damage that seemingly stopped him forming new memories in the sa…

> but studies showed that he could remember some things, just not consciously. This reminds me of muscle memory. I can play pieces on the piano even though I don't actively remember the sheet music of them. My hands just "know" what to do. Funnily enough the moment I start actively thinking about certain passages that ability worsens by a lot.

Further than just muscle memory, every cell in our bodies actually has "memories". That's why heart transplant patients can experience personality changes from the donor:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S03069...

Re: MomBoard: E-ink display for a parent with amnesia

#50

Post by jairuhme »

This is awesome and I am happy to read that she was able to remember the device and asks if things have been added to it. My parents have just retired and I wonder if something like this would be advantageous to introduce prior to signs of memory loss. My grandmother had Alzheimers and while it is different than the amnesia that OP references, her memories were lost in reverse chronological order (can't remember where her keys are, but could remember where her last job was, later could not remember that last job, but could remember her first job, etc). So introducing this prior to those recent memory lapses could help solidify that device in my parents head so that they could benefit from it even if they do start to exhibit that behavior.
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