Transportation Assistive Device for the Elderly Based on Service Design

Chou, Yu-Ting; Chien, Chia-Yu; Chu, De-Fang; Wu, Hsien-Jung

Commercial products specially designed for the elderly have assumption of user disability and focus on assistive tools design. However, recent studies show aged people gradually stay healthy condition because of modern advanced medical technology and service. There so- called “platinum society” that describes a group of aged people live in a community where they have to take care of themselves under healthy condition. To respond to above situation, this study applies service design model to explore daily life requirement of the elderly and proposes a new transportation assistive device design located aside the bus station. From empathy map analysis, point of view definition, requirement-and-function deployment, to service model construction, real daily life activity and movement of the elderly are collected and analyzed. A participative design approach is applied to involve senior citizen participation that is helpful to retrieve their intangible needs. In this proposed design, it includes an information interface and an exercise assistive device for the elderly to use during the waiting period when they stay at the bus station. It provides required information for transportation purpose as well as simple exercise movement that make it form an area of social connection. Instead of boring waiting time wasted at the station, it enhances interaction between the elderly through uncomplicated stretch movement and conversation. A scaled prototype is implemented to simulate and test the scenario and interview is executed to collect feedback from the elderly. Ongoing progress show a feasible application can be achieved by integrating with current environment.

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