The Journey to Sensay: A Personal Odyssey Towards Digital Immortality
Hello, everyone. I’m Dan Thomson, the CEO of Sensay. Today, I want to share with you the deeply personal journey that led to the creation of Sensay, a technology that aims to revolutionise the way we think about memory, identity, and continuity of the self in the digital era.
My story begins with a loss that many families can relate to — the slow, painful decline of loved ones to dementia. My grandparents were the bedrock of my childhood, offering stories, wisdom, and laughter. Watching them gradually lose their memories was a harrowing experience. This wasn’t just a loss of memory; it was a loss of identity, history, and the rich tapestry that made up our family legacy. The helplessness I felt during those years was overwhelming. I yearned for a way to preserve not just their memories, but the essence of who they were.
In my early 20s, I faced my own brush with memory loss. A severe concussion resulted in a terrifying two-day amnesic episode. Those days are still a blank in my life. This experience was a profound shock to my system, awakening me to the fragility of our memories and our sense of self. The inability to recall even the simplest of things was terrifying, words can’t really describe the feeling. Like having every memory on the tip of your tongue, knowing you know something but being unable to reach it or express it. It was a turning point that made me want to create many incredible personal stories, which has led me to travel to over 100 countries to experience everything and steered me towards exploring the concept of mind uploading and digital immortality.
Fuelled by these personal experiences, I embarked on an intellectual and emotional quest. I wrote two books delving into the possibilities of mind uploading and digital immortality. These weren’t just theoretical musings; they were a blueprint for what I wanted to achieve. Sensay was born from this vision — a technology not just for preserving memories, but for creating digital twins that could offer comfort, continuity, and a sense of presence long after physical decline or departure.
Dan’s Books:
Immortality in a Digital Age: https://amzn.eu/d/a049saW
The Digital Afterlife: https://amzn.eu/d/dFhBIPZ
At Sensay, our primary focus is on dementia patients and their families. We’re not just preserving memories; we’re creating interactive digital avatars that can provide comfort and a sense of connection for families as they navigate the painful journey of dementia. These digital twins are a bridge between what was and what can still be — a way to maintain a conversation, a relationship, even in the face of memory loss.
My vision for Sensay goes beyond mere technology. It’s about humanising the digital space, about ensuring that our digital selves are as rich and nuanced as our physical beings. It’s about creating a legacy that transcends the limitations of our biological existence. Sensay is not just about combating the inevitable decline of memory in dementia; it’s about offering a new form of immortality, where the essence of a person can continue to interact, teach, and comfort long after their physical presence has faded.
I am acutely aware of the ethical implications of digital immortality. As we develop Sensay, we’re committed to navigating these complex issues with sensitivity and foresight. Our goal is not to replace human interaction but to supplement it, to provide a form of support that respects the dignity and individuality of each person.
Every day, when I work on Sensay, I think of those we’ve lost. Each person I speak to has a connection to Dementia in one form or another. I imagine how different our experience might have been if we had access to a technology like Sensay. I think of myself, lost in those two days of amnesia, and I’m motivated to ensure that others don’t have to feel that same sense of loss and disconnection.
Sensay has the potential to revolutionise dementia care and memory preservation, offering new ways to engage with dementia patients, to maintain their social connections, and to preserve their dignity. It’s not just about storing data; it’s about capturing the essence of a person — their stories, their beliefs, their unique perspective on the world.
I invite you to join us on this extraordinary journey. Whether you’re a caregiver, a dementia patient, a technologist, or simply someone fascinated by the possibilities of digital life, Sensay is a step towards a future where no one has to completely say goodbye.
The potential of Sensay is vast. We’re at the beginning of a journey that could redefine what it means to preserve our legacy, to interact with our past, and to approach the concept of mortality. We’re exploring new frontiers in AI, machine learning, and interactive technology, all with the goal of making our digital twins as authentic and engaging as possible.
My journey to Sensay has been deeply personal. It’s a journey shaped by loss, by fear, and by hope. Sensay is more than a technology; it’s a mission to preserve the most precious part of us — our memories, our stories, our identities. As we move forward, I remain committed to this vision, driven by the belief that we can create something truly transformative for individuals and families facing the challenges of dementia and beyond.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Here’s to a future where no memory is ever truly lost, and no story ever really ends.
Dan Thomson
CEO, Sensay
Chat with my replica: sensay.io/replicas/dan
