top of page
Role
User Research
Interaction Design
Prototyping
Duration
3 months
Overview
AIGERA is an AI Conversational Companion to help the elderly battle depression and loneliness. Having accessibility in the forefront, AIGERA aids in improving and supporting the life of senior citizens by keeping them engaged and entertained for a better future.
AIGERA is a portmanteau
AI - Artificial Intelligence
GER - Gerontology
ERA - Time
Problem Statement
Studies show that depression among the elderly is a looming problem now due to factors like social isolation and lack of regular companionship.
Depression in senior citizens in India
Social isolation in the elderly in Mexico
of elderly in Russia
There is a pressing need for conversational models that can alleviate emotional stress.
Background Research
Social isolation was associated with an increased risk of dementia and other serious medical conditions.
Elderly people over the age of 60 are interested in using smartphones and wearable for health and wellness benefits.
Of women over the age of 65 say they are more lonely now than before the pandemic.
Older patients with symptoms of depression have higher healthcare costs than non-depressed seniors.
Primary Research
I conducted a survey with 15 participants who were all senior citizens, aged 55 years and above. This survey helped me understand this concept even deeper and enabled me to formulate ideas for this application.
These were the results:-
Profile
70% of the respondents said they have at least one elderly family member suffering from depression or know someone elderly who is suffering from the same.
Adaptability
60% of the respondents expressed that they would be comfortable letting an AI application help combat loneliness/depression
I also interviewed 5 participants who are senior citizens and have been battling depression on an average of 1-2 years. These user interviews helped focusing on specific aspects of this mission and what they expected of this application. Furthermore, it also provided a clear route to help them lead a better life.
User Quotes
“I wish there was a feature for me to learn something new like painting to help me cope with my depression”
“Happiness according to me is feeling
more alive, learning new things and
have someone to talk with everyday”
“I want to talk and share my feelings to someone and someone to listen”
“There is so much to do in a day but I have no motivation to do anything, I’d like to be motivated to do more activities.”
“I need positive distractions from my habit of overthinking. I want to be motivated to help myself”
Ideation
Most respondents want to learn a new habit or skill to stay motivated and postive.
They wanted someone to talk to or someone to listen to them on a daily basis.
Good knowledge about depression and mental health is necessary
User Persona
How might we?
How might we help mitigate depression & loneliness in elderly people with AI and Machine Learning by providing empathetic support and enhance their emotional well-being?
Task Flow 1
Gita finds a new skill to learn.
Task Flow 2
Gita gets a notification for a daily check-in.
Task Flow 3
Gita goes down the memory lane.
Design: User Testing
Feedback
The participants wanted bigger touch targets in the interface because of dexterity disabilities.
Users prefered a simpler layout that didn’t overwhelm them.
Key Fact:
1 in 5 people over the age of 65 may have an essential tremor.
- Medtronic
Before
Feedback
I changed the size of the text to increase legibility and readability.
Speech function to be more prominent was also necessary for users who had challenge typing.
Before
Feedback
Text over image had contrast challenges.Users preferred text and image to be separate for visual clarity.
They also wanted separated pages for every feature as opposed tosections. Conventional UI flows are often alien to non-tech savvy people.
Speech function to be more prominent was also necessary for users who had challenge typing.
Key Fact:
Up to 10% of the population is affected by specific learning disabilities - Science Daily
Skills
Section
Before
After
After
After
Style Guide
Accessibility
The UI and UX design choices in this project are meticulously crafted with a profound emphasis on accessibility guidelines.
Every element, from color palettes to navigation, has been thoughtfully selected to ensure inclusivity for all users, including those with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments.
High color contrast enhances readability, intuitive navigation aids users with screen readers, and scalable fonts accommodate varying visual needs.
Final Designs
Conclusion
What I learned
To be able to conceive an experience for senior citizens has been rewarding.
-
Opportunity to delve deeper into geriatric care and improve lives.
-
New understanding of the importance of accessibility in design.
-
Realization that simplicity and clarity in design are key for non-tech-savvy users and design doesn’t have to be pretty and complex.
If I had more time...
-
Make AIGERA as a comprehensive support hub, one-stop resource and assistance.
-
AI-Driven Mental Health Modules for productive counseling and emotional support.
-
Expanding the personalization and customization to address common challenges: language
-
Integration of a potential wearable gadget enabling them to stay connected on-the-go.
bottom of page