Eldernext
How might we prevent the elders from the vicious circle of Sarcopenia?
Wearable Muscle Training System
Challenge
At the age of 50, human muscles begin to degenerate rapidly. The serious problem of lacking regular exercise habits in the 50s causes the elders to fall into the vicious circle of Sarcopenia.
2018 The YODEX Designer Venture Challenge Award
Bronze Award / 3rd Place
Designer
Wilson Wu
Megan Chang
Time
May.2018
Role / Contribution
Research
User Experience Design
User Interface
Infographic
Prototyping
3D Modeling
Concept Video
Solution
Eldernext is a Wearable Device + Mobile Application integrated system to tackle the issue of the elders' muscle degradation. We offer an approachable home-based exercise proposition to prevent the vicious circle of Sarcopenia.
The interactive training program in the app provides a series of training sessions to postpone muscle degradation and cultivate the routine exercise habit. By detecting user's muscle contraction and movement from sensors in our smart wearable device, the mobile app instructs the user with the correct gesture during the exercise session. Auto-tuning the training session base on the data wearable device gathers.
View Full Project ↓
Background
Lacking regular exercise habits at the 50s cost them fall into the vicious circle of Sarcopenia
Taiwan's population which over 65 years old has accounted for 14% of the total population in 2017. Since then, the age structure model of Taiwan had officially entered the “Aged“ society. This population aging trend alters the dynamic of our society in various aspects, raising new challenges.
For the middle-aged generation, how to face the days after mid-life, which have a healthy and confidence living is a topic that we must pay attention to in the future.
At the age of 50, human muscles begin to degenerate rapidly. How to develop exercise habits in the 50s age phase to maintain muscle strength and health to meet future needs is essential. In addition, many foreign studies have pointed out that the cause of the deterioration of the elderly is 60% lack of muscle endurance.
However, according to the questionnaires, secondary research, and interviews we study in this age range. They have a serious problem of lacking regular exercise habits, which are most in need of it ironically.
Know Context
Locate the pain points and needs of their current journey.
What caused them to lack of exercise habit?
Explore Concept
After clarifying and synthesize the insight of our target audience, we then dive into the second diamond of our process. We use the value proposition canvas to anchor our solution.
Discuss Train Structure
with physiotherapists and fitness coach
After many discussions with physiotherapists and fitness coaches, the training outline was gradually drawn up. The easy-learning muscle strength training with low exercise equipment requirement was adopted. Design with basic muscle strength to delay aging and degradation and maintain a healthy life.
The lower limb muscle strength training to maintain muscle strength endurance are the core goal.
Trial and error, and error like ... a Lot ...
Reframing the complex issue into a tangible opportunities
Pushing ourselves to the limit, we brainstorm tons of crazy ideas and narrow down into several specific directions. At first, we are too over-optimistic, thinking that we can offer a whole-body muscle training solution with advanced technology to create an extraordinary experience.
It is not until we put it into prototyping and evaluating do we realized the weight of our ambition and our insufficient in research work.
We consult with the occupational therapist and fitness coach to evaluate our ideas and also co-design training exercises architecture. It takes us about 2 months that we keep reiterating not only our direction and also our value proposition as we keep testing and iterating.
After countless prototyping, we determined to focus on lower limb muscle strength training. Using a smart wearable device integrated with a mobile application, offer a home-based easy exercise solution.
PROVIDE
Fitness device that can be performed at home. Saving time and money for the cost of the sports venue. Making workout schedule flexible.
Detects the user's movement posture, which syncs with software for interactive train teaching, while preventing the user from sports injury.
Easy training session and reduces the barrier of preparation for workout.
Visualize fitness effectiveness and challenge goal, cultivate sense of accomplishment and cooperate with the social influence to enhance intention.
Wireframe
Set up wireframe discipline, consider the average giant phone screen and usage.
Consider the mobile phone use habits of our user Mobile phones are mostly large-screen display interfaces. Therefore, the options for performing operations are centered on the lower side. Titles, main display information are arranged on top. User interface design discipline will be big and simple. The action section uses different colors for high light.
Integrated Design
The hardware collects muscular strength data through the wafer senses, and tracks the motion trajectory thereby interpreting training motion is incorrect or not. Other visual goals and tactile feedbacks are sensed to improve the accuracy of training movements.
The software provides sports interactive teaching and training by using visually integrating motion data and the results of the training, to provide an appropriate work-out schedule and goal. It also cautions the user to avoid possible sports injuries.
The wearable device and the application are connected via Bluetooth. The motion data is transmitted to the mobile phone via wireless transmission.
Purpose Hardware and Software
Brief Excercise flow
The app will guide the users through health tutorials for the first time.
With detecting the property of wearable devices and the interactive mirror movement study guide, users are more likely to work out in the correct way.
Avoid holding breath while training, resulting in pressure on the heart and lung circulation, The App requires the user to make a sound as exertion. If the phone’s microphone did not receive, the system will be paused to remind the user.
The user can return to the training after practicing. The device found that the user's posture was incorrect, and the system paused to prompt the correct posture to avoid sports injuries. Through the hardware tracking the user's movement trajectory and joint related position, educate the user to correct posture.
Eldernext is a lower limb muscle strength training design, integrating wearable devices and it’s APP. It is expected to provide middle-aged persons a program of muscle strength training that can be done at a home setting.
Give the middle-aged era group a home-based self-training program to avoid the progressive degeneration of muscle strengths that can lead to derivativeness and other diseases caused by disuse atrophy of muscles. Easy to grasp and easy to master for a healthier lifestyle.
Concept Video
Scenario Video - ENG SUB
Scenario / Concept Video - CHINESE SUB