SenseCam Aids Patients with Memory Problems

Ponca City, We Love You writes "A small digital camera developed by Microsoft Research could boost memory in people with dementia and possibly mild forms of Alzheimer's disease. SenseCam is worn around the neck and automatically takes a wide-angle, low-resolution photograph every 30 seconds. It contains an accelerometer to stabilize the image and reduce blurriness, and it can be configured to take pictures in response to changes in movement, temperature, or lighting. An entire day's events can be captured and downloaded onto a PC where software converts the pictures into a short movie displaying the images at up to 10 frames per second, to allow patients to view a day's events in a few minutes to jolt their memory. "Not only does SenseCam allow people to recall memories while they are looking at the images, which in itself is wonderful, but after an initial period of consolidation, it appears to lead to long-term retention of memories over many months, without the need to view the images repeatedly," says neuropsychologist Emma Berry."

I think

[Martian_Kyo]

this image would have been more appropriate for this article http://images.slashdot.org/topics/topicms.gif [slashdot.org]

Just remember

[DrXym]

Do not believe Teddy's lies.

Memento

[Renegade88]

The guy from Memento [imdb.com] could have used this! Even using Microsoft products has to be less painful than constantly tatooing yourself.

Rehash?

[ah.clem]

Isn't this just a rehash of the MS "Lifecam" or some trendy name like that? IIRC, we were all supposed to be wearing this thing around our necks and not bothering to remember anything anymore, the camera would keep a "life record" or some such.

Wasn't that a fail? I can't remember...

ah.clem

Equal time for Grandma

[Delusion_]

SenseCam is worn around the neck and automatically takes a wide-angle, low-resolution photograph every 30 seconds.

Excellent! Now Grandma can take crappy photos nearly as often as drunk girls at bars do with their cellphones.

Re:Just remember

[Anonymous Coward]

>An entire day's events can be captured and downloaded onto a PC where software converts the pictures
>into a short movie displaying the images at up to 10 frames per second, to allow patients to view a
>day's events in a few minutes to jolt their memory.

I think the porn implications of this are obvious. Imagine, playing back every girl you've had? It would take, well, um... ALL day. Yes, all day, even at 10 frames per second. Man, I'd like to view ALL those girls I've had, because I have had SO MANY that I can't remember.

Ok, fine, it would take less than a second. One frame, to be exact.

Ok, it would be blank. :(

Damn...

[carndearg]

...Now all the user has to do is remember to charge the thing every day.

Re:respect

[Frosty Piss]

I don't care what company you are and what products you normally sell. If you can create something as useful as this, you deserve respect. Well done!

It's a Web cam you ware around your neck. This is "innovation"? Don't misunderstand me, I'm not an MS basher, I've run XP as my desktop since it came out, have no major problems with it, and have only recently considered possibly a used Apple G4. But this is pretty thin on the "innovation" thing.

On the other hand, maybe Google can have people walk around town with these things and add it to their Google Maps...

Re:Careful not to lie down on a clear day outside.

[Ambiguous Puzuma]

It would be even better with help from a skywriter.
"A problem has been detected and Earth has been shut down to prevent damage to the universe."