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• 1 media/Gabi_03.jpg 2019-04-21T20:23:27-07:00 Gabriela Purri R. Gomes, MFA 10 Experience Designer & Visual Artist plain 2019-05-01T00:44:10-07:00 Gabi is a recent alumnus of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts in the Master of Fine Arts Program in Interactive Media. Currently, she is an Experience Designer & Visual Artist currently based in Düsseldorf, Germany. For her thesis, she focused on a device that could make environments more friendly and welcoming to Alzheimer’s and dementia patients through virtual or augmented reality. She also helped shape the user experience and interaction language on Awu’s Ama’s Memento Project
  
  Originally, Gabi wanted to complete a design fiction for her project as well. She wanted to create something that could recognize people and transform spaces. However, she realized very quickly that her experience goals were far too large. Instead of trying to do so many things at once, she had to narrow her research. 

  For my project, she suggested that I focus on demonstrating one user experience goal and imply the others. Imply that, in the future, this product has the potential to expand to other things. 

  Again, she emphasized that it would be difficult for patients to interact with the product in later stages of dementia. She also explained that in this case, the product would not be just about memory in general, but specifically about creating and storing new memories. Memio would serve as a tool for prevention, keeping the patient independent at home as much as possible. 
  
  For the short film, Gabi was very interested in seeing the specifics of the patient’s interaction with the product. She could see two level of interaction: one with family and friends, and one with objects around the house. The interactions with friends and family would consist of sharing memories, telling stories, and other tools necessary to have conversations. This would help solve the problem of Alzheimer’s and dementia patients losing the ability to interacts with their loved ones. Interacting with objects around the house would consist of tasks the patient needs to complete: washing the dishes, taking a bath, cleaning up the house, etc. This would help prevent the patient from being placed in an assisted living home. Ultimately, Gabi suggested focusing on the human connection for the short film and implying the other benefits.
  
  Gabi also pointed out the opportunity to accurately portray dementia and Alzheimer’s and, in doing so, raise awareness about the disease. She suggested waiting to reveal the main character suffers from dementia and instead establishing them as a complete character. She said it wasn’t necessary to cover all aspect of the causes and effects of dementia, but she encouraged a scene that organically explains what dementia is. Unfortunately, such a scene did not make it into the final cut of the film.