Nada’s grandmother lives in Egypt on her own while Nada spends most of her time in Berlin, Germany. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Nada’s family called her gran now and then but could not visit her. As the situation exacerbated, she could sense that her grandmother felt more isolated since she could not interact with her friends due to social distancing.

Finding the technology to tackle loneliness

Nada and her friends came up with an idea to solve for the isolation and loneliness that many elderly folks experience through VR technology and voice assistance. “I wanted to create a happier tomorrow for those who are in similar situations as my grandmother, where they can stay connected and comfort each other,” says Nada.

“We upcycled VR glasses and developed Ingrid.” Old VR tools have been refurbished with voice control and a simple interface to make them more intuitive for the elderly to use. The Ingrid includes different features such as games, travel, culture, and social exchange. “The user can put on the glasses and say ‘Start Ingrid’ to turn on the device. They can play Bingo with each other,” explains Nada. “Like my grandmother, the elderly will enjoy using Ingrid and play games with their loved ones. It’s a tool that will alleviate the sadness of being alone.”

A seed of an idea grows at Solve for Tomorrow

“Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is what brought our idea from seed to harvest,” says Nada. “We had mentors and friends who provided great feedback. Our team could develop Ingrid in detail through the support from a real VR software developer.” The students say that they were even more motivated after visiting a retirement home and testing out their VR gears.

Recognized for their passion to help out the community, the Ingrid team won second place at Germany’s Solve for Tomorrow in 2021. “Throughout the program, I could learn a lot from the people I worked with,” says Nada. “They encouraged me to keep going and turn our idea into reality to create a better future for all.”