For decades, doctors, researchers, and caregivers have searched for ways to make life easier for those living with Alzheimer’s disease and their families. Twelve-year-old Emma Yang of New York hopes her new app, called “Timeless,” can help.

Emma was inspired to develop the app when she had trouble connecting with her grandmother who lives in Hong Kong. “When I was 8 years old, my Grandma thought I was 13. And then one day, she forgot my birthday and my Dad’s birthday,” Emma told the tech blog, Tech 50+. “My Grandma suffers from Alzheimer’s Disease. The distance makes it hard to stay engaged with her, especially as the illness progresses.”

With the help of her dad, who’s a software engineer, Emma set out to develop an app that helps Alzheimer’s patients recognize their loved ones, remember events, and stay connected with the word around them. She was also supported by a doctor who specializes in treating patients with Alzheimer’s disease; a startup called Kairos that developed a platform for facial recognition software; and financial backing through the Michael Perelstein Discover Your Passion Scholarship fund. She presented her project as part of the 

While it’s not on the market yet, Emma has developed a fully functional prototype that she plans to roll out the fully developed app by the end of the year.

To see how the app works, check out with Emma’s Timeless demo.

Image courtesy of Tech 50+.