The story of Medulla did not begin overnight. Its founder, Martin Čapek, had long wanted to use his knowledge of Kinect technology in a meaningful way in real practice. He was drawn to the idea that motion tracking did not have to serve only as a technical curiosity, but could help create activities that are natural, enjoyable, and useful for people.
At first, his thoughts naturally turned toward children. The connection between movement, play, and simple interaction seemed especially fitting there. But a major turning point came when Martin’s mother, who is the director of a senior care home, asked a simple question: “And why aren’t you making it for seniors?” At that moment, a completely new direction opened up.
Suddenly, it became clear that technology based on natural movement could also have great meaning in social services, where activation, client motivation, and ways to involve people for whom standard forms of exercise or games are less accessible are addressed every day. And that was when Medulla began to take shape in the form we know today.
What followed was approximately six months of testing and gradually fine-tuning the entire technology. Medulla was not created at a desk, nor as a finished concept that would later try to fit into practice. On the contrary, it was developed directly based on real feedback from senior care homes and other facilities. One facility asked for a memory game, another wanted fly swatting, and elsewhere other ideas came up depending on what clients enjoyed, what was easy to understand, and what could be used well in everyday operations.
This phase was crucial for Medulla. It showed that meaningful technology is not created only from an idea, but above all through careful listening to the people who will actually use it. Every test, every suggestion, and every reaction helped shape the activities so that they would be natural, accessible, and joyful at the same time.
Testing within the family was also a strong confirmation of the whole direction. Martin’s grandfather, who enjoyed card games and solitaire, tried controlling his favorite game by moving his hand instead of using a mouse. And it was in moments like these that the essence of Medulla became fully clear: when a familiar and favorite activity is connected with movement, activation stops feeling like an obligation. It becomes a natural part of something a person enjoys and wants to take part in.
This is how Medulla gradually came to life. The name refers to the term medulla oblongata, symbolically representing the connection between movement, perception, and reaction. Today, Medulla is built on a simple but powerful idea: technology makes sense when it helps people. In this case, by bringing more movement, engagement, joy, and activities based on real practical needs into senior care homes and other social services.
