As this module challenges us with having to create our own brief for a project, I wanted to take some time to look into some design companies which specialise in design for health to see the sorts of solutions they are creating to challenge issues in health.
The first company I looked at was Big Motive, who have a lot of experience in design for health. One of the projects I found particularly interesting was “Aflo”, which is an app which links to a smart inhaler to instruct breathing exercises to the user. One of the interesting parts of this project was that it’s clear that there are already loads of apps to help with Asthma, however, Aflo is unique in that it tracks long-term breathing patterns to tailor future exercises to the user’s needs. This was interesting to me as it could be worth considering not just how I can solve a problem, but rather build on top of a solution and improve a health issue that way.
Another project which was interesting to me was the Bioliberty “Lifeglov”. This was a project I got to work on during my internship with Big Motive over the Summer and was a great and rewarding project to work on. The Lifeglov is a rehabilitation glove which helps stroke victims improve their hand and arm motor function. There were some really interesting design challenges we faced in this project which are the sorts of small details I want to make sure to consider in this module. For example, we had to make sure buttons were large enough for someone with impaired motor function, and that they were on the right side of the screen, as stroke tends to affect the motor function of the left side of the body far more.
Beyond just the design of the exercises, we had to make sure users were feeling mentally ok too. Strokes can inhibit motor functions that we usually take for granted, so it can be incredibly frustrating for victims to have to really focus on doing simple movements. This was addressed by not only tracking the user’s performance throughout the exercises but also their moods afterwards so that the healthcare professionals who are tracking them can also consider their mental states.
What was interesting to me about this project, and a lot of Big Motive health projects like Aflo, is that the app and design aspects of the projects are there to support physical technology and medical apparatus. This is something I think is important for me to consider for this project as if I want to go down the route of creating something to combat a specific problem, it’s important to consider if physical technology should be used, as this will most likely make it a much more effective tool for solving a health issue.
A connected health experience for people living with Asthma and COPD - Big Motive
IDEO are another company that do a lot of work in relation to health. What I found really interesting about their work was how they tend to be less direct changes to improve issues in health, but rather conceptual changes to change attitudes and experiences in health
For example, one of their project I found particularly interesting was their works on Nemours Children’s Hospital, where they were tasked with creating a hospital centred around the patient experience. This project mainly focusses on environmental design, and creating a much ore inviting and comfortable experience when visiting the hospital. I especially like the details of the outside lighting of the hospital, making it look like a far less scary place to have to go to. I find this project really interesting as it is addressing an issue in the health industry but is more about the user experience rather than coming up with a solution to a health issue.
Another of IDEO’s project I thought was interesting was their TED exhibition for Genetech, which is an interactive exhibition which transforms a person DNA sample into music, so demonstrate how unique each persons genetic make up is, in an attempt to open people mind and start discussions around personalised medicine. I find this to be a really engaging way of demonstrating a complex idea around DNA, and think it would be effective at getting people to consider personalised medicine more. This was interesting to me in the same way as the previous project I looked at, as it’s within the health industry but is address bigger attitudinal problems which could improve the future of the industry. This is something I definitely want to consider as this could be a really unique way to take my project.
