MemoLens

Our Vuzix M400 glasses use facial recognition and an AI assistant to help individuals with Alzheimer's identify people and access medication info, enhancing their independence and quality of life.

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Project Story: Empowering Memories

About the Project

Our project, "Empowering Memories," was born out of a personal experience with a loved one struggling with Alzheimer's. Witnessing the challenges they faced in daily interactions and the frustration of forgetting familiar faces was a profound inspiration for us. We wanted to create a solution that could help those affected retain a sense of connection and independence.

Inspiration

The inspiration came during a family gathering when my grandfather, who had Alzheimer's, confused familiar faces with strangers. It was heartbreaking to see the confusion and anxiety on his face when he couldn't recognize his own family. This moment ignited a passion in our team to leverage technology to bridge the gap between memory loss and human connection.

Building the Project

We began by researching existing technologies related to facial recognition and AI. After extensive study and prototypes, we decided to integrate Vuzix M400 glasses with a custom AI assistant. We programmed the assistant to recognize faces through a database of family and friends while answering questions about Alzheimer's and tracking medication schedules.

Our development involved multiple phases:

  1. Research and Development: Understanding facial recognition algorithms and AI capabilities.
  2. Prototyping: Creating initial models and testing them for accuracy and responsiveness.
  3. User Testing: Involving caregivers and individuals with Alzheimer's in our testing to gather feedback and iteratively improve the system.

Challenges Faced

Throughout the project, we encountered several challenges:

  • DeepFace Model Integration: Running the DeepFace facial recognition model on a Flask server required optimizing performance to ensure real-time face recognition while handling multiple requests.
  • Audio Input Handling: Receiving audio input from users through the glasses posed challenges in processing and converting spoken queries into text efficiently.
  • AWS S3 Storage: Storing audio files in an AWS S3 bucket involved setting up secure access and ensuring smooth transfer between the glasses and cloud storage.
  • Audio Output: Passing audio files from the S3 bucket back to the glasses for output required careful coordination to ensure timely and clear responses, maintaining an engaging user experience.
  • Model Training: Training the recognition model on Alzheimer's-specific data proved crucial. We faced difficulties in sourcing diverse and representative datasets that accurately reflected the unique situations of individuals with Alzheimer's.

What We Learned

This journey taught us the importance of empathy in technology design. We learned how critical it is to involve end-users in the design process to create a solution that genuinely meets their needs. Most importantly, we discovered that technology can be a powerful ally in enhancing the lives of individuals with Alzheimer's, empowering them to reconnect with their past and navigate their present with confidence.

Through "Empowering Memories," we strive to make a meaningful difference, proving that innovation can inspire hope and foster connections where they matter most.

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