Khushi: Technology among senior citizens
Design Brief
Now a days, children are anxious about leaving their senior citizen parents or grandparents alone at home or outside. How would they find their way home? How would they contact us? How would they receive immediate medical help in case of emergency?
We address all these questions by a product which is a new communication medium for emergency situations.
Although seniors consistently have lower rates of technology adoption than the general public, this group is more digitally connected than ever. In fact, some groups of seniors — such as those who are younger, more affluent and more highly educated — report owning and using various technologies at rates similar to adults under the age of 65.
The expanding utilization of the internet and technology by the baby boomers and silent generation (age 70 and above) have shattered many stereotypes.
However, in reality, technology has indeed opened up a whole new world in front of the seniors. Boomers and seniors are using a variety of devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops and wearable to manage and enhance their daily lives.
Let’s take a quick look at some of the factors, which are making seniors adapt to technology, thus helping them to lead a safer and healthier life:
Let’s take a quick look at some of the factors, which are making seniors adapt to technology, thus helping them to lead a safer and healthier life:
How It Works
It consists of two main parts: The talking frame, a wristband complete with sensors.
The frame: This part of the device interacts with the grandfather, displays the given command, and gives reminders via text and voice.
The wristband: This device will have an S.O.S button and a buzzer.
The Frame
- The display screen shows the commands given by the user.
- There will be menu, settings and navigation buttons on the panel on the right of the device and can be used by the family to set up the device and adjust the specific requirements for the user.
Eg: Specific medical requirements.
- Gives Reminders when it senses that the user is leaving the house.
- The panel on the left side of has the volume buttons and the speaker (output).
- The panel on the top has the power button (big in size for it to be easy to locate and use).
- The screen can be used as a real photo frame while on standby.
Basic Prototype Sketch
The Wristband
- The wristband has an S.O.S. button that will trigger the buzzer when it is pressed.
- The buzzer will alert the people around the user that there is an emergency.
- Pressing the S.O.S button will also send the current location of the user to the device. The device will notify the emergency contacts (family members).
Basic {prototype Sketch)
Customer Journey Map
User Persona
Work in Progress
- We are developing the AI on the new Google Dialogflow. It uses a dictionary to guide through all the dialogue and selects keywords and functions accordingly.
- The working of the impact sensor is similar to that of the knock sensor made using piezo sensor and Arduino.
- Our design principle of ‘Old habits die hard’ needs some working on. We need to incorporate it into our design in a better way.
The project was done as a part of a college assignment with Chinmayee Murugkar and Manasi Kulkarni.
