Vestige

Inspiration

Memories shape our sense of identity and connection to the people around us. During brainstorming, we began thinking about how technology could help people hold onto meaningful moments for longer. We found that memory decline can make it harder for older adults to connect everyday experiences with past memories. This inspired us to explore ways of detecting and reinforcing emotionally meaningful moments so they are less likely to fade over time. Our idea for Vestige was inspired by raising awareness about Alzheimer’s disease, where short-term memory loss is one of the earliest and most impactful symptoms.

What it does

Vestige is a wearable system designed to detect emotionally meaningful moments using auditory sensory context and physiological signals. A small behind-the-ear device captures sounds and voices from the surrounding environment while monitoring internal body signals such as heart rate and galvanic skin response.

By synchronizing auditory input with physiological responses, Vestige estimates the emotional resonance of everyday experiences and assigns each moment an Autobiographical Resonance Score. These moments are visualized in a companion app, allowing caregivers to see when meaningful engagement occurs and how strongly it resonated.

During sleep, Vestige uses principles from Targeted Memory Reactivation (TMR) to replay subtle audio cues from high-resonance moments, helping reinforce those experiences as memories naturally consolidate.

How we built it

We used Figma to research, design, and prototype the caregiver interface. Figma Make helped us explore feature ideas and generate reference designs as we developed the system concept and user experience.

Challenges we ran into

One challenge was understanding the neuroscience behind memory formation and ensuring the concept remained grounded in real research. Another challenge was designing a system that supports both the patient and caregiver while protecting privacy and maintaining dignity.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We’re proud that we were able to take this idea from an early concept to a complete prototype within the time limit of the competition. Much of our time was spent researching memory consolidation and refining the design to make sure the system felt intuitive and meaningful.

What we learned

We learned how to use Figma Make more effectively to generate design ideas and iterate quickly. We also learned the importance of designing interfaces that are simple and accessible, especially when they may be used by older adults or caregivers who need clear, intuitive information.

What's next for Vestige

Next, we would like to design and prototype the wearable device that works alongside the app. Future development would also focus on refining the sensing system and exploring how Vestige could further support memory reinforcement in everyday life.

Built With

• figma