Empower elders to walk more confidently.
OVERVIEW
In this class, we were tasked with designing a innovative wearable that incorporates existing AI technology as a personal assistant.
Jon's grandma loved the freedom of walking everywhere. After her knee surgery, however, she can no longer walk as easily, and relies on her family to drive her around.
OVERVIEW
Our team designed STRIDE, AI-powered insoles for elders that learn their walking paterns to help them walk more confidently. It comes with a companion wristband that alerts them when imbalance is detected.
role
UX/UI lead for mobile app
TEAM
Ghalib Othman, Jonathan Caleb Rodriguez,
Chi Quach, Bohyeon Seo
TIMELINE
10 weeks
TOOLS
Figma (Wireframing, Prototyping, Visual design)
Adobe Illustrator + Photoshop (Packaging)
Rhino and Keyshot (3D Modeling)
3D Printing
problem
As people age, their mobility can decrease, making walking more challenging.
36,000,000 falls among elderly each year
1 out of 5 falls caused an injury
$12 million every year spent out of the pocket to treat injuries caused by falls
product
AI smart insoles - Learn your walking patterns and help you stay balanced with every step.
AI sensors
Sensors collect gait, kinematics, balance, center of mass motion, ankle and hip angles, and sway velocity data to accurately gauge your walking capabilities.
Replaceable battery
Inspired by the Nike + iPod fitness device, we create magnetically rechargeable batteries that easily slip in and out of the insole
Inflatable bubbles
Through biometric sensors and algorithm analysis, STRIDE insoles can autonomously expand and contract the support bubbles
Interchangable batteries - Last up to 72 hours, and a portable USB-C charging case.
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Smart wristband - tightens for a gentle nudge, reminding you to take breaks while walking.
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Tactile nudge
Give users a mix of tightening and haptics to nudge them for resting when detecting signs of imbalance or fatigue.
Magnetic clasps
A magnetic clasp makes wearing bracelets easier, which is great for people with hand or mobility difficulties.
Customizable materials
Stride offers a variety of comfortable, sustainable materials for different occasions.
Find accessible routes.
Plan accessible trips and find routes with accessible features, all on the go.
Find directions with AR Compass
Lay out the real-world directions right in front, making it easier to start the route.
target audience
Focus on 65+ years old adults.
In 2022, there were 771 million people globally aged 65 and above. Given that 1 in 3 in this demographic struggles from foot pain, stiffness, or aching feet, we recognized an opportunity to help this substantial population segment.
Active lifestyle - They love to participate in fitness activities and still want to stay active.
Mobility challenges - They start to experience age-related decline in their walking ability.
Health - They prioritize health and be willing to invest in products that benefit their health.
scenarios
Everyday errands - Picking up groceries, cleaning the house, doing laundry
Exercise - Going walks in the park, practicing taichi, doing yoga, jogging
Traveling - Walking around new cities, exploring the museums, doing food tours, going on hikes
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user research
Interview with people.
11 user interviews - Learn more about footwear preferences, their adoption of new technology, their perception of aging.
2 concept reviews - Refine the concept with product designers in wearable (Garmin) and accessibility (Lenovo).
2 Brand surveys - Understand psychology and perception to develop the brand strategy for our products.
INSIGHTS
Many older adults crave the freedom they once had at a younger age, where they weren't dependent on others to perform simple tasks.
Many older adults still try to appear independent while avoiding visible signs of aging (wearing medical aids, relying on others)
Many older adults feel motivated by sharing their achievements and progress with their loved ones while staying connected with them
Market research
What's missing in existing products.
Though there is a significant growing demand for our user group, the existing products in the market are not fully address the needs of our users. We analyzed from walking aids to smart wearables and home devices.
Independence
Some mobility aids and home systems can make users overly dependent, reducing their confidence to move independently.
Personalization
Off-the-shelf solutions may not fit individual needs well, leading to discomfort and inefficiency.
Usability and Accessibility
Complex controls and small interfaces can make some devices hard to use, especially for elderly users.
Many product UIs are still inaccessible, leading to older adults' hesitance in adopting new tools.
Spatial challenge
Elders struggles to understand their surroundings and making cognitive decisions related to navigation and maps.
Cognitive challenge
Digital maps' interfaces can be complicated and overwhelming for our users to understand and navigate.
Lack of resources
Many apps provide wheelchair and ramp features; however, these resources are not particularly relevant/tailored to our users.
IDEATION
How might we design a wearable technology that provides older adults with support and confidence to walk independently, reducing their fear of falling?
How do we define confidence?
Independence - They can perform tasks without having to rely on someone else.
Safety - They feel safe and secure when performing tasks without fearing of injuries.
Comfort - They feel confident and comfortable wearing our products in many scenarios and occasions.
design goals
Define achievable goals for our design.
Intuitive
Reduce learning curves by utilizing familiarity, affordances, and accessibilities.
Simplicity
Simplify cognitive load, helping to focus on what’s important and make the decision easier.
Appealing
Communicate our brand’s value proposition that resonates with people we design for.
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Autonomous
Minimize users' reliance on their phones, enabling them to focus and enjoy on their walks.
Versatile
Strive for a versatile design that blends in with everyday wear and fits in with different styles and occasions.
Autonomous
Reduce users' reliance on their phones (For trip planning only), letting them focus on their walks.
mobile app
Design the MVPs and test often.
user flow
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aha moment
Designing for accessibility is more than just applying WCAG guidelines.
Different fonts display varying sizes, even at the same 24px setting. Or with colors, applying what I learned from my Color Theory course, the same purple will appear differently on different background color. Therefore, throughout the process, I had to adjust the font and color according to my judgement and continuously test with my team and peers.
Recognition rather than recall
We learn that people struggle to memorize street names so we wanted to change to navigation with landmarks to help them recognize familiar objects rather than recalling names.
Color theory comes in handy
Throughout the process, I had to adjust the font and color according to my judgement and continuously test with my team and peers.
DESIGN SYSTEM
physical product
Prototype rapidly, test regularly, and pivot quickly.
Versatile
Strive for a versatile design that blends in with everyday wear and fits in with different styles and occasions.
Autonomous
Reduce users' reliance on their phones (For trip planning only), letting them focus on their walks.
aha moment
Pivot to a new concept
After talking to many users, we learned that our v.1 concept wouldn't be able to compete with other strong smart watches competitors from Apple, Fitbit, or Garmin. We decided to pivot but at this point, we're running out of new ideas and time.
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V.1 wristband concept (Usability testing)
Instead of using visual and audio cues, we changed the focus to tactile cues. We designed a wristband that can tighten to notify the user.
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V.2 tactile wristband concept (Rapid protoyping)
To test the size and position of the wristband, we created tape prototypes. We then used Rhino to create 3D models of the final design.
V.2 concept - 3D printing and assembly
After many rounds of testing, we landed on the best version of the wristband. We then 3D printed the prototypes and assembled them.
V.2 concept (Usability testing)
We were surprised by the positive response to the concept and appearance of the wristband. The feedback we received was invaluable and helped us refine the final design.
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