Grandson Builds an Unusual Communication Device for 96-year-old Grandmother
Thanks to a grandson's creativity, his grandmother will be able to communicate with her loved ones in an easy way. His device adapts text and voice messages from Telegram to receive and send them using analogue means.
After reading this story, your thoughts will surely go to your grandmothers and grandfathers. The pandemic certainly does not make interpersonal contacts easy, even with family members. The elderly, in particular, experience difficult moments when they are often forced to communicate with their loved ones only by means of a phone, the operation of which may sometimes exceed their technical skills (especially in the case of smartphones). To help keep in touch with his family members, Twitter user mrcatacroquer created a special device for his 96-year-old grandmother - the Yayagram.
The name of the device comes from the Castilian word Yaya - grandmother (the grandson and his grandmother live in Spain, where the phrase comes from), and the app the device uses to send messages - Telegram. Manuel Lucio Dalio, for this is the name of the designer (who works as a programmer at Plastic SCM), described in detail how the Yayagram works and the process of its creation on Twitter. The device constructed by Dalio has two functions: sending voice messages using a built-in microphone and reading text messages sent via Telegram. The operation of the Yayagram is very simple - to send a voice message, one only needs to press and hold a button, and text messages are printed on paper in a relatively large font so that the elderly person can read a physical text. Call selection is done by plugging a jack cable into a properly labeled connector with the recipient's name.
Dalio admitted that the inspiration for the Yayagram came from the on-going lockdown in Spain, which limits opportunities for family get-togethers, especially since most grandchildren live far away and have little opportunity to see their grandmas. Normal phone calls are a problem for her because of her hearing problems (via The Verge).
The creator of Yayagram should be admired for his creativity and concern for his loved ones. You guys don't have to build a special device for your grandparents, but be sure to call them.
