Design of a novel interactive textile tool for dementia care : improving sensory interventions with multisensory illuminated cushions

Abstract

In dementia care, multisensory stimulation is a widely adopted nonpharmacological intervention that supports emotional wellbeing, engagement, and social interaction, especially in later stages of the disease. However, existing sensory tools often stimulate only a single sense and are not specifically designed with the needs of older adults in mind. To address this gap, this study presents the design and development of a novel interactive textile tool, multisensory illuminated cushions (MICs), using a multidisciplinary codesign process involving textile designers, engineers, and occupational therapists (OTs). The MICs are portable cushion-based devices that integrate smart textiles with capacitive touch sensing, RGB illumination via polymeric optical fibers (POFs), and audio playback. Developed with human-centered design principles, they offer intuitive, multisensory engagement through light, sound, and tactile interaction, tailored for individuals with late-stage dementia. Four MIC prototypes were evaluated in clinical settings by OTs during sensory stimulation sessions. Results showed that participants demonstrated significantly higher engagement levels with MICs compared with a market-available sensory cushion, as measured by the observational measurement of engagement. Positive emotional and behavioral responses were observed from all users. The key innovation of this study lies in combining scalable textile manufacturing with embedded interactive electronics in a washable, modular, and user-comfort-oriented form. Unlike previous handcrafted or fixed installations, MICs offer a practical, adaptable, and production-ready solution for dementia care environments. This research contributes a novel framework for integrating smart textile technology into dementia-focused design and highlights the value of collaborative, human-centered methods for developing inclusive healthcare tools.