Sharsjamar

My nephew Wouter has autism which he himself says is “an extensive unclear very large disorder”. The doctors call it Multiple Complex Developmental Disorder (MCDD). He has difficulties dealing with fear, excessive anger and behavioural anomalies or tics.

For this project we looked at all the things that are really important to him in relation to his disorder. I made a distinction between the factual properties of an object in how and why to use them and the emotional connection he has with these objects.

From this perspective I researched if I could add another object to this inventory. This led to the development of the “Sharsjamar”, as Wouter decided to call it. It’s a device that can make clicking sounds, which he can use to stop him from obsessively snapping his fingers. It is made from walnut-wood which provides a deep relaxing sound.