[ExI] nursing homes, was RE: NYT: Happiness May Come With Age, Study Says

[spike]

> ...On Behalf Of Mike Dougherty
> ...
> 
> On Thu, Jun 3, 2010 at 11:31 PM, spike <spike66 at att.net> wrote:
> > Imagine this device operating continuously, providing a VR to the 
> > patient, removing solid waste, tilting this way and that...
> 
> How about the sensory deprivation tank filled with heavier 
> than salt water nutrient bath and instead of deprivation it 
> provides stimulation via the VR setup you're proposing?...

Do you know the long term effects of soaking in Epsom salts?  Intuition
tells me you can't do it for too many hours without messing up something,
but I don't know that for sure.  Anyone? 

> ...Or for the truly wealthy, move them to orbiting hospice...

AC Clarke suggested it, but for now I am thinking of a commercially viable
consumer level device for the near term future.
 
> ...
> 
> You know that "space-aged" memory foam they make mattresses out of?
> what about making a sabot[1] around a person?

Coool!  Now yer thinking Mike!  I like the memory foam idea.  To keep it
clean, I can imagine a kind of a body stocking of some kind, made of some
material which stretches but is just tight enough to not cut off circulation
or wrinkle.  Wrinkles would be bad for delicate skin over a long period.  I
am no expert in this matter having never worn nylon hosiery.  Perhaps some
of the ladies could comment, or men who have worn nylons too.  Or anyone who
has an idea: if we wanted to keep our expensive memory foam clean, is there
a material that we can use to make pajamas that would hold skin waste, could
be laundered and reused, could last one day per change, that would not
wrinkle?


>  Then you could 
> rotate them in your 3+ axis chair without risk of falling 
> out/off the rig...

Ja, well, 2 axis chair, with pi radians travel in longitudinal axis and pi/2
in the transverse would be plenty.  I figured out a mechanism to do exactly
that without all the carco table dual axis complication.

> If it was heated to "cozy" temps, it would probably be 
> comfortable as well as provide healthier circulation for the 
> literally thin-skinned elderly...

I like it.

>  The VR inputs could be 
> facial expression and eye-tracking -aware, as well as voice 
> activated - so moving arms and legs are unnecessary.  Manual 
> dexterity such as keyboard and mouse would also be 
> unavailable (both from user capability and physical 
> constraints of the rig)...

Sure but we could have all different levels of control, based on the needs
of the patient.  As with any product, we would start with the basic model
and jazz it up as the market develops.

So then, what I have so far is a shell we might be able to make from a
modified bath tub with memory foam, with a closable lid.  A standard flat
screen monitor is mounted in the lid, as a primitive forerunner to the
high-end CCD dome.  Speakers could be mounted either side of the head.  We
could just go ahead and use Second Life for now as a primitive forerunner to
the retro VR content.  It isn't what I have in mind ultimately, but the
bathtub, ventilation system, flat screen, speakers, Second Life with
joystick control, and pi-pi/2 tip tilt mechanism could all be assembled for
under the $30k target.  

I don't know about the exhaust pipe mechanism however.  I would omit that
for the time being if we are shooting for $30k.  That wacky idea might be a
major cost driver, but wouldn't be needed by everyone in any case.  There is
likely to be resistance from many consumers to having some device up the
wazoo, when they still have the old fashioned option.

But a basic system could be set up to entertain the still-mobile elderly,
all using current technology and a bit of imagination.

spike