What happens when a business economist and a concert violinist team up? The answer is Muzziball – a human-centric innovation combining music, technology, and social impact.
Behind this pioneering creation are Ingerine Dahl, a violinist and university lecturer, and Aleksandra Jankovic, a business economist and industrial PhD candidate. Together, they’ve developed Muzziball, an IoT-based deep-tech sensory device that transforms movement into interactive sound and light experiences.
What began as an artistic initiative for children has grown into a promising solution for some of society’s most vulnerable groups. Today, Muzziball is being tested and developed for use among individuals with dementia and children with special needs, with results showing remarkable potential.
From idea to impact
Dahl’s creative vision sparked the concept, and with Jankovic’s strategic and academic expertise, the project evolved into a social innovation venture. To deepen the research underpinning Muzziball, Jankovic commenced an industrial PhD project at the University of Stavanger (UiS), supported by the Research Council of Norway. Her research is based at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Materials Science, under the guidance of Professor Chandima Ratnayake and Professor Samindi Samarakoon.
Jankovic’s doctoral work aims to bridge the gap between industry and academia by exploring circular economy strategies in tech-driven product and service development. With a strong focus on real-world relevance, the project strives to create a replicable blueprint for integrating sustainability across the value chain, especially within the healthcare and education sectors.
“Embedding solid engineering principles into product development is essential,” says Jankovic.
“Our goal is to create a model that other tech companies can follow if they truly want to integrate sustainability into their operations.”
Promoting movement through play
“A PhD project should have real-world impact,” Jankovic explains.
“For me, that means making a tangible difference in people’s lives.”
Now a co-founder of Muzziball, Jankovic is developing the product while simultaneously pursuing her PhD. The company, established in early 2023 and based in Stavanger, has already completed its first development stages and is actively building an ecosystem of services around it.
“Muzziball is a sensory ball designed to promote movement. In a world increasingly challenged by physical and mental inactivity, we want to be part of the solution,” she says.
The results speak for themselves: among children with autism and elderly users with dementia, Muzziball has shown positive effects on physical activity, emotional regulation, focus, and social interaction, contributing to improved well-being for users, caregivers and teachers.
Circularity, accessibility, and social value
For economist and entrepreneur Jankovic, the PhD journey is grounded in three key pillars of circular economy and sustainable innovation:
- The product must be environmentally conscious at every stage, from design and production to end use.
- It should be digitally enabled, open, and user-friendly.
- It must deliver tangible social value, fostering inclusion and making a meaningful difference.
“If your product and business model address these three areas, you’re creating something that truly serves the public good,” Jankovic emphasizes.
“That should be the benchmark for all startups.”
For Ingerine Dahl, the motivation has always been to design a product that inspires joy, movement, and connection. With Muzziball, she and Jankovic believe they’ve succeeded to achieve that.
Supported by Innovation Norway and part of the Norway Health Tech cluster, the company reflects a strong commitment to female-led innovation in a male-dominated sector.
“Two female founders in deep tech is still a rarity,” says Jankovic.
“We’re passionate about changing that. It’s also why I value working with a female academic supervisor like Prof. Samarakoon. Representation and mentorship matter.”
Looking ahead
The next phase of the Muzziball journey involves further testing and implementation in Norway’s healthcare and education sectors, focusing on autism and dementia. Through case-based action research, the team is developing solutions that directly address global health challenges in a practical, responsive, and science-driven way.
“Building a deep-tech product that addresses such complex issues is demanding,” says Jankovic.
“But the feedback from users has been overwhelmingly encouraging. Everyone involved in this journey shares a vision of creating technology with genuine social impact. Together, we’re working to make the world a better place, one movement at a time.”
Text: Kjersti Riiber
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Department of Mechanical and Structural Engineering and Materials Science
