Creative agency TBWA HAKUHODO has unveiled the “RADIO TIME MACHINE” project, an AI-powered device designed to generate era-specific radio-style audio content including historical news and popular music. The project was implemented in collaboration with Nichii Gakkan for use in elderly care settings in Japan.
The agency said the project focuses on Japan’s aging society, where issues such as cognitive decline and gaps in intergenerational understanding are increasing.
A concept referenced in the project is Reminiscence Therapy, a non-pharmacological approach that uses familiar stimuli such as photos or music to support cognitive and emotional well-being and help prevent dementia. Based on this concept, TBWA HAKUHODO developed “RADIO TIME MACHINE,” a system that uses generative AI to recreate audio experiences similar to past radio programs. The system aims to evoke memories while encouraging dialogue and connection between generations.
The device features a design based on a 1950s–60s radio with a radio dial interface. Users select a year rather than a frequency by turning the dial, moving the pointer in one-year increments from 1950 to 2025. When the pointer reaches the selected year, the AI generates a radio-style broadcast that plays content presented as if it were from the same date in the chosen year.
The generated broadcast combines news headlines from the selected era, based on a curated list of topics, with popular songs from the same period. An AI-generated voice based on recorded human voices of different ages and genders serves as the radio presenter.
The voice delivers the content in a style intended to reflect the selected time period. The system is designed to produce varied audio experiences as users explore different years.
The playback duration of the audio content can be controlled by the AI, ranging from several-minute loops to several hours depending on the purpose.
A pilot project to introduce the ‘RADIO TIME MACHINE’ into Nichii Gakkan’s care facilities has yielded promising results, the agency said.
The initiative focused on two key objectives: enhancing resident wellbeing and improving communication between residents and staff.
According to TBWA HAKUHODO, the feedback from the pilot program highlighted several positive impacts:
With RADIO TIME MACHINE, residents were able to recall details of their past, such as their parents’ and former employers’ names, which they previously struggled to remember due to dementia-like symptoms. Speaking to residents as they listened to news and songs from the past, the staff noted increased memory recollection and quicker responses to questions from residents.
Nichii Gakkan will plan for wider implementation based on these research results, including the development of an affordable version utilizing smartphones, along with deployment in facilities across Japan.
By comparing users’ behavior with and without the RADIO TIME MACHINE—using facial expression analysis, activity-level analysis through skeletal pose estimation, and speech-rate measurements.
Three key findings emerged:
- Facial expression analysis showed that reminiscing the past increased the smile index (which detects the mouth-corner angle and cheek elevation) by an average of 8.7%. In some cases, listening to the radio increased this value by 23.8%, indicating a notable rise in smiling.
- Activity-level analysis through skeletal pose estimation showed a 10% increase in gestures and hand movements. This is most likely due to higher motivation to explain the content of their memories to others.
- Speech-rate measurements showed an increase of 10.8 words per minute. It is speculated that a variety of memories were evoked by listening to the radio, motivating users to share with others.
The observations underscore the device’s potential to re-engage residents with their minds and personal histories, fostering emotional uplift and more vibrant social interactions within the care environment.
TBWA HAKUHODO has also initiated joint research with Kitasato University (Tokyo, Japan) to further validate the device’s impact. The project aims to scientifically measure the benefits of RADIO TIME MACHINE on cognitive functions and emotional health. For instance, Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD) include restlessness, irritability, and decreased motivation.
The joint research will validate how RADIO TIME MACHINE can reduce these symptoms through quantitative assessments, as well as behavioral analysis and facial expression analysis.
Nichii Gakkan will plan for wider implementation of RADIO TIME MACHINE based on these research results, including the development of an affordable version utilizing smartphones, along with deployment in facilities across Japan.
Beyond their initial collaboration with Nichii Gakkan, TBWA HAKUHODO is exploring new projects utilizing RADIO TIME MACHINE. The agency said that the creative collective believes this AI device has potential across various fields—not only in eldercare and welfare, but also in music, entertainment, and many other domains. They also see strong potential for product development, including new hardware designs and more affordable models.
“The concept of RADIO TIME MACHINE came up in a team meeting, discussing new ways to solve challenges within our rapidly aging society. Over two and a half years, we refined multiple mockups, software, and hardware designs,” said Kenshiro Suzuki, Innovation Hub, TBWA HAKUHODO.
“This year, we have been able to introduce RADIO TIME MACHINE as a pilot to some care facility residents. Through interacting with RADIO TIME MACHINE, many residents suddenly remembered long forgotten memories, while others talked in detail about their childhood neighborhoods. All this by hearing news and music from 70 years ago. I cannot forget their smiles I saw.”
Suzuki added, “I hope that RADIO TIME MACHINE will soon be introduced into care facilities across the country, helping the elderly reminisce together, stimulate one another, and enjoy their daily lives even more.”
You can learn more here: radio-time-machine.com
