Mylife
From Cognitive Support to Lifelong Assistance
The Evolution of Memas
Mylife began as an AAL-funded project to support people with mild cognitive impairment using a personalised digital assistant. The project resulted in Memas, a flexible platform designed to help users structure their daily routines and remain independent. Over time, Memas evolved into a toolset tailored to different profiles of cognitive impairment, ranging from memory-related challenges to broader intellectual disabilities, and has also been applied in rehabilitation contexts. Despite facing typical barriers of scale, funding, and technical obsolescence, the concept has endured – thanks to persistent development, national alignment, and a strong user focus. Mylife shows how even small projects can build technology that lasts.
Mylife was designed to support older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) by offering a personalised digital assistant to help them structure daily activities and maintain autonomy. The system provided cognitive support through reminders, multimedia prompts, and calendar functions – tailored for both users and their caregivers. Developed with strong end-user involvement in Norway, Germany and the UK, it aimed to promote well-being and reduce caregiver stress. The technology evolved into what is now known as Memas, which remains in use today across several user groups. Mylife was selected as an AAL Success Story for successfully transitioning from a prototype into a working product, showing potential for commercial and social impact. The original concept laid the foundation for a versatile platform now used not only for early dementia, but also for people with intellectual disabilities and rehabilitation needs.
Sustained Outcomes
The core concept of Mylife evolved into Memas, a living technology platform that continues to be developed and deployed in new contexts. While the original product went dormant for a time, it was later revitalised and modernised – rebuilt as a web-based application. Memas now exists in three distinct forms: Memas Memory (for people with mild cognitive impairment), Memas Structure & Mastering (for individuals with intellectual disability), and Memas Rehabilitation (for post-hospital re covery and rehabilitation support). The platform has been used in several follow-up projects, including the ongoing TransCare project (funded by the THCS initiative), and continues to adapt to the needs of different user groups. Although technologies have changed, the core vision of supporting independence through personalised, structured digital assistance has endured and expanded well beyond the original target group. Being recognised as an AAL Success Story validated the Mylife project’s transition from research to real-world product. The project stood out for not just producing a working prototype, but also for launching a commercial entity – Mylifeproducts AS – to own and manage the technology. Although the original Memas system eventually needed a full technological overhaul, the concept‘s continued evolution and application in new user groups reinforced its long-term value. The success story label helped signal that Mylife was more than a pilot – it was a viable approach to digital support for vulnerable populations. Today, Memas stands as a rare example of an AAL project that sustained both concept and company over more than a decade.
What really mattered was access to end users. Our partners in Norway, Germany and the UK brought us into real environments with real people. Without that, Memas would have remained just an idea.”
Riitta Hellman, PhD, project co-ordinator Mylife, Karde AS
Barriers and Challenges
One of the main barriers was the limited financial capacity of the small companies involved, especially within the AAL programme’s 50% co-financing model. The costs of developing a fully functional, market-ready product placed significant pressure on the team. After initial success, technical obsolescence became a further challenge, as the original Memas platform aged and had to be rebuilt on a modern, web-based foundation. Recruiting and retaining end users for long-term testing was also difficult, particularly in achieving meaningful longitudinal insights. Additionally, the team lacked the resources to engage major market players or expand internationally – especially in complex markets like Germany. Despite these barriers, the core idea endured, thanks to national support schemes in Norway and persistent internal commitment.
Partnerships & Networks
Strong relationships with end-user organisations were central to Mylife’s development and sustainability. In Norway, partners like Forget-me-not AS and Sissel Bjørneby’s Sole Proprietorship provided direct access to older adults and caregivers, ensuring real-world relevance. In the UK, Housing21 and the Dementia Services Centre played a similar role, supporting extensive trials and user testing. The project also benefited from its German end-user partner Berlin Institute for Social Research, who contributed valuable insights and participant access. On the technical side, Tellu AS was essential in creating the original Memas technology, and the collaboration continues today with joint work on a smart Memas Rehabilitation solution in the TransCare project. These partnerships enabled deep co-creation and were critical in shaping both the concept and its later adaptations. However, the project lacked connections to larger assistive-tech companies, which might have helped scale and sustain Memas beyond the consortium.
The Memas business model was primarily suited to the Norwegian market context, where public funding enables municipalities to offer assistive technologies free of charge under government framework contracts. While this created a feasible domestic pathway, scaling beyond Norway proved difficult. In countries like the UK and Germany, Mylife lacked the resources and market access to compete with established providers or navigate complex reimbursement systems. Private sales were possible in Norway due to high digital literacy and household income, but less viable elsewhere. Despite these con straints, Memas remains operational within Mylifeproducts AS, and the company continues to seek growth through project-based development and alignment with national procurement systems. The product‘s flexibility and customisability have helped it remain relevant in diverse care contexts.
Reflections: What Remains?
Looking back, the project lead Riitta Hellman noted that involving larger assistive technology providers would have significantly strengthened Mylife’s scalability and long-term impact. While the project was strong on concept and user testing, its small-company foundation limited its ability to engage international markets or attract investment. With today‘s knowledge, the team would have also placed greater emphasis on investment partnerships and market entry strategies, particularly for countries beyond Norway. The 50% co-financing model of AAL was a heavy burden for such a small team, and building more robust financing pathways – both public and private – would have helped secure continuity. None theless, the concept’s continued relevance and evolution demonstrates that even modest beginnings can lead to long-lasting innovation.
Project Info
Mylife succeeded in turning a research concept into a lasting, adaptable technology platform – Memas – which continues to evolve nearly 15 years later. While the original product had to be rebuilt and the market scope narrowed, the core vision of personalised digital support for people with cognitive or structural support needs remains intact.
