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Phones and apps get harder to use.
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Family send photos, calls and messages from wherever they are.
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It just appears on the tablet. Nothing to learn, nothing to press.
We build software to make communication easier when illness or disability gets in the way.
We’re starting with dementia and ALS. For dementia, we’re building tools that help families stay in touch and share some of the responsibility of care. For ALS, we’re developing an eye-controlled keyboard to help people who can no longer speak take part in conversation.
Read about the projectsHere’s what we’re building.
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Grandma calls again and again. It’s usually the same person who answers.
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Now her calls go to whoever in the family is free.
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Nobody free? She hears a recorded message from family instead.
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Spelling one letter at a time with your eyes. By the time you’re done, the moment has passed.
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Forsee suggests whole replies, in different tones.
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Hold your gaze on one and it’s spoken aloud. Or steer it, or write your own.
Communication affects everyone in a relationship.
We’re interested in how difficulties with communication affect someone’s relationships with their family, friends, and caregivers.
Someone living with dementia may call for reassurance again and again. The person answering wants to be there for them, but also needs time to rest. We’re building tools to help families handle both needs.
For someone who communicates with their eyes, writing a reply can take so long that the conversation has moved on. With the keyboard, we’re working on making it easier to respond while there’s still time to take part.
I started by trying to help my own family.
My father carried much of the responsibility for my grandmother’s care. Granophone was a way for the rest of us to share some of it.
Once her calls were shared across the family, I found myself speaking with her more often. I felt closer to her than I had in years. Giving my father a break also gave me more time with my grandmother.
That experience led to Familiar and to a broader interest in how software can help when communication becomes difficult. I’d like to learn from other families, people who use communication aids, and professionals working in care.
Jean-Marc
Founder, Empathy Works
Let’s start with a conversation.
I’m looking for people who can help shape these early tools. A first step is a 20-minute demo and a conversation about what would actually help.
Dementia & staying in touch
For family caregivers, dementia care professionals, and people who support them.
See what I’m building, tell me what staying in touch is like for your family or the people you support, and help me understand what would be useful.
Ask about a dementia demoKnow someone? Get a note to forward
Send this to them first, so they can decide whether they’d like to talk.
Eye control & conversation
For people who use eye tracking to communicate, speech therapists, and communication aid specialists.
Take a look at Forsee, an early keyboard prototype, and share what helps or gets in the way of taking part in a conversation.
Ask about a Forsee demoKnow someone? Get a note to forward
Send this to them first, so they can decide whether they’d like to talk.
What happens next?
Your email comes directly to me. Tell me which tool you’re interested in and a little about your connection to it. We’ll arrange a time by email. The demo is a chance to look and give feedback; you don’t need to commit to testing or using anything.
Interested in collaborating, or not sure where you fit? Email me a few lines