SERVICE DESIGN | ACCESSIBILITY DESIGN | 3D MODELING

Lensos - Providing timely emergency assistance for older adults living alone

ROLE

Sole Product Designer & Researcher

TOOLS

Figma

Adobe Photoshop

Microsoft Excel

Shapr3D CAD Modeling

TIMELINE

October 2022 - January 2023

DESCRIPTION

A first-aid glasses for older adults who live alone to monitor real-time health condition and to obtain timely help in an emergency

SOCIETAL CONTEXT

The aging society

Source: Moses, C. (2023, February 19). Aging societies. The New York Times.

Many countries, particularly in Asia, are experiencing a rapid increase in their aging population. This demographic shift is resulting in a growing percentage of people over the age of 65.

Existing challenges

More than 40 million older adults fall at least once a year, half of whom are at home. Accidental falling has become the leading cause of injury-related death among people over 65.

Insights

As older adults increasingly find themselves living alone due to urbanization, migration, or changes in family dynamics, the need for innovative solutions to support their safety, independence, and overall well-being has become more urgent than ever.

HMW offer prompt assistance to older adults for safe and independent lives?

SOLUTION PREVIEW

A first-aid glasses for older adults who live alone to monitor real-time health conditions and to obtain timely help in an emergency

Emergency call button

Press and hold for 5 seconds to connect to the 24/7 medical service center.

Bluetooth speaker and microphone

The integration of the speaker and microphone ensures excellent call quality in urgent circumstances.

Built-in EEG sensor

EEG sensors near the temple monitor users' brainwaves in real-time to prevent potential accidents.

Protective material

The flexibility of silicone increases the quality of product service and reduces the risk of material rupture when falling.

USER RESEARCH

Empathize with users

Aiming for a sympathetic recognition of older adults' levels of life satisfaction and the aspects they want to improve, the primary research with targeted users was conducted to collect direct feedback.

Participants

3 Male & 4 Female
70-92 years old
Based in Asian countries

Interview Structure

Phase 1 - Lifestyle introduction
Phase 2 - Gain understanding around:

1. Perceived benefits of living alone

2. Specific challenges & potential improvements

Phase 3 - Debrief of important insights

Finding 01: Poor physical condition most significantly impacts their life satisfaction.

Finding 02: Sickness and darkness can lead to high-risk scenarios and unpredictable emergencies.

Interview Insights

Needs for an independent and free life

Due to different living habits, most older adults desire to live alone and try not to bother others for help.

Safety > Ease > Efficiency

When they try to accomplish actions independently, they prioritize their safety over ease and efficiency.

Lack of instant help

They often don’t get timely help when they need assistance and miss the time when they need it the most.

MARKET & COMPETITOR ANALYSIS

Understand existing solutions for daily safety

Feeding cup

For anyone with decreased hand dexterity

Hard to clean

Grabbing tool

Extra long reach

Magnetic tip

Grabbing head does not rotate

Stepping tool

Adjustable height

Unstable with a small platform

Night light

Motion-activated

May startle users when it turns on unexpectedly

Medical alert system

Fast response

Wide range of hardware options

Unstable connection

Inaccuracy in fall detection

Key Insights

1. Products only serve a single purpose

Users need to purchase different products for different accessibility problems.

2. Products do not align with users' lifestyles

Carry an intelligent device that they may only use occasionally can be an unnecessary burden.

3. Some products cannot protect users' dignity

Some products may be seen as a reminder of aging and declining abilities, which can be a source of embarrassment to older adults' dignity.

CO-DESIGN WITH USERS

Collaborate to ideate and address users' needs

Phase 1 | Discussions on Commonly Used Items and Introduction to Emergency Products

Phase 2 | Co-Design Solutions Around Commonly Used Products

We came up with solutions that combine functionality with daily necessities, such as a night light and emergency button on a water bottle, as they always keep the bottle on the bedside table when they sleep.

Concept sketching

Phase 3 | Select & Finalize Product Features

The user, who has transitioned from nearsightedness to farsightedness with age, considers the most portable and frequently used product to be the best. She wears glasses throughout the day, except when sleeping, to maintain optimal vision.

To visualize the concept, I created quick sketches with the user.

DESIGN RATIONALE

Informing design direction with user insights

Categorizing user challenges by severity and impact

Daily Challenges

Exacerbating Conditions

To address various problematic scenarios for the users, I plan to integrate functional design into a common item used by older adults: eyeglasses.

Pinpointed solutions from user challenges

→ Speaker & microphone

→ Emergency assistance

→ Soft silicone material

→ Night light

→ Convex lens for farsightedness

CONCEPT TESTING

Iterate key design based on user feedback

Collecting user feedback

Before | Farsighted Glasses

China accounted for 282,919,791 presbyopia-diagnosed cases in 2021, which are expected to rise significantly by 2032.
Farsighted glasses tend to be the most common vision solution for older adults.

Problem

- Low frequency of use
“Except for reading and using my mobile phone, I don’t wear farsighted glasses during the day and never at night.”
- Highly sensitive eyes
“I have cataracts, so my eyes are sensitive and cannot bear bright light.”

65% light transmission rate

After | Absorptive lenses for indoor and daylight usage

Benefits:

1. Brighten indoor surrounding
2. Enhance contrast and clarity
3. Filter out blue light that causes glare

Absorptive lenses decrease light transmission strengths to protect users from glare and enhance their visual clarity.

DESIGN ITERATION

Enhance product multi-functionality: from emergency assistance to risk prevention

Besides implementing emergency assistance, how might we enhance danger prevention to reduce the risk of emergencies?

Brain activity & seizure detection

EEG Recording

By wearing the glasses, it is possible to inspect users’ health data by monitoring brain waves.
EEG is a test that measures electrical activity in the brain using small, metal electrodes attached to the scalp, as brain cells constantly communicate through electrical impulses.

Alpha waves detection

Alpha waves in the EEG indicate a relaxed but awake state, which is common in older adults. LENSOS uses EEG sensors to continuously monitor health by detecting these waves.

Alpha wave

8 - 13 Hz

Awake and resting state

Abnormal EEG data

People with brain lesions from tumors or strokes may have abnormal EEG waves. These abnormalities can signal brain dysfunction, tumors, strokes, epilepsy, and other conditions.

Spikes

Sharp wave

Slow wave

Atkinson, M. (2010). How To Interpret an EEG and its Report. In Conference paper.

SERVICE BLUEPRINT

Visualize front & back-end interactions

FINAL PRODUCT

LENSOS smart glasses

Lensos is a smart eyewear solution that empowers older adults to enjoy a fulfilling lifestyle while minimizing risks and safety concerns, all in a versatile pair of glasses.