Prototype 3

Monitoring:

The monitoring device like the other prototypes is to be a watch; its functionality to the user will simply be a watch, which tells the time:
Behind the scenes the watch will have the ability to monitor the users heart rate/pulse.The watch will have a GPRS transmitter, which is connected to the black box, the black box will store the information transmitted by the watch. So it stores the users heart rate/pulse over time and there location.

The system will have software with the following capabilities:

· Ability to learn users daily movement pattern
· Ability to learn users heart rate pattern
· Ability to identify unusual activity

This will enable the software to detect whether the user has suffered a heart attack, fall etc. For instance if there is no movement for an unusual amount of time and the heart rate is critical or even gone then the system should detect this and notify the emergency services. The ability to learn users daily patterns should mean that if it is 1 am and there is a lack of movement then the system should know that this regularly occurs at this time, as the user is asleep.

Inputting/Viewing/Sending Data:

To input data such as weight, calories eaten, blood sugar levels etc, which have to be read using devices, which are not provided by the system, I propose that we use a touch screen pad as an input device.This is intended to enable the user to interact with the system as intuitively as possible using simple and minimal menu options:

The First Screen:

The screen has 3 simple options representing all options, which are available to the user. The options are colour coded and the colour scheme is carried out through the program.

Inputting Data:

The input option screen is green as this was the colour of the input option. Again we have simple options, which describe what the user is trying to input.

The input screen:

Depending on which option selected there will be text, numbers or both. Here we are inputting weight and so we have numbers and keeping with the colour scheme weight is orange and so the screen is orange.

The display shows what the user has typed. When the save button is pressed the data is saved to the system.

Sending Data:

The sending option screen is yellow as this was the colour of the send option. Again we have simple options, which describe what the user is trying to send.

The send screen:

Simple options, which consist of who the user wants to send the information to, software sends the required information to the chosen recipient.

The screen here is white as the user has selected to send their heart rate.

Prototype 2: Monitoring Health & Providing Safety

The idea is similar to the one below. However the watch would have no interface apart from one button situated at the side of the watch. The main function of the watch would be to just tell the time (whilst in the background monitor certain health conditions).

Fig 1.0 A Digital Watch

The side button would communicate with a security system placed around the house. When a elderly user leaves the home, they can press this button to alarm their property or deactivate the alarm when they re-enter. PIR Sensors would do the job of monitoring unauthorized movement within the house and send a silent alarm off to security centre. They will also have the job of monitoring the 'elderly watch-user' - if no movement is detected for a prolonged period of time and the watch has detected a health anomaly - then the emergency services will the notified.

Fig 2.0 A PIR Sensor

Finally there would be a need for a device to set the system up and also to view statistics stored from the watch. I propose a touchscreen/graphics pad for this job - large icons can be displayed that the user can easily see. Also rather than typing any setting - a graphics pen can be used to write them in (most elderly can still write).

Fig 3.0 A Graphics Pad

Each device will communicate with each other through Bluetooth technology and powered by rechargeable batteries.

Prototype - A touch screen watch

Case first entered the touch screen market in 1991 with their data bank watch.

1991: Databank with touch screen

Simply point to the function you wish to use and touch the screen. The display enables access to a telephone book, an organizer,a notepad or an 8 digit calculator.

The idea was to have a large touch sensitive display that you could interact with. There was no need for external buttons, everything was done with 'soft buttons'.

I have devised a similar idea for our first prototype, but using more upto date technology. There is a full colour screen, which is capable of drawing complex objects and shapes. The onboard computer is able to process a number of different tasks, including inputs from sensors and an external base station.

Questionnaire Results

Here are the persona results of our questionnaire:

Derek:

Fiona:

Maureen:

Notes and Evaluation

• An important part of our design must focus on how to encourage users such as Derek to use at least the bare minimum of the system, who have no confidence with technology and do not see their doctor often.
• Inversely, the system also needs to be able to handle the needs of Fiona-esque users, who would demand a lot more functionality.
• The results for previous use of technology are mixed. It is unlikely that many advantages would be gained from relying on familiarity with computer icons or menus, and more intuitive interfaces should be used.
• All personas already have some form of security in their home. Our brainstorm mentioned that security could be integrated into our idea, but this could be an optional feature if users already have security.
• The personas had trouble understanding some of the questions, in particular, the questions using a scale of 1-10. It was not clear how the scale worked, and in hindsight the questions could have been more descriptive.
  
• Question 14 could have been worded slightly better, as the use of "always" in some options tended to confuse the respondants, as they wanted to say that they sometimes did an option.
• Questions 5 and 12 could have been clearer with the options, as there was too much grey area not covered.
  

Example task

John and Rana are working on the initial task analysis, so I'm just posting an example to follow up from the post about use cases. Obviously the tasks at this stage are slightly vague as we don't know all the details about the product yet (e.g. how exactly the user inputs information).

Name: Logging and inputting weight information.
Initiator: User
Goal: User takes a measurement of their weight and stores it in the device, ready for viewing and/or sending to their GP later.

Main Success Scenario:
1. User weighs themselves on a separate device (e.g. scales).
2. User navigates through the device to the section for inputting weight.
3. User inputs their weight.
4. User saves the information.

Possible Issues:
2. User may have difficulty finding the relevant section.
3. User may input the incorrect amount.
3b. User may input the amount in an unexpected format (e.g. lbs, when the device was expecting kg).
4. User may forget to save the information.

Final Questionnaire

Here is the final version of the questionnaire for gaining general information about potential users. I've tried to keep layout clear, with large fonts and simple instructions. For some reason, the borders are cut off in places in the JPEG version, but the original prints fine.

Final Draft of Questionnaire

The Final Draft of the Questionnaire:

Fig 1.0 Page One of Final Draft

Fig 2.0 Page Two of Final Draft

First Draft Questionnaire

Designing a questionnaire will help gain general information about our target audience. As we narrow the scope for our project design, we will perform more specific questionnaires and user testing.

Fig 1.0 Page One of Questionnaire design draft

Fig 2.0 Page Two of Questionnaire design draft

From this a final draft will be created.

Task Analysis Discussion

We have decided as a group to come up with initial task ideas which may be included in the final product which we are designing. Individually we will each be given tasks from the list to go away and analyse. Here is the list we came up with:

1. Logging & Inputing weight
2. Logging & Inputing blood pressure
3. Logging & Inputing blood sugar level
4. Monitoring pulse
5. Sensing Location/Movement
6. Wearing wrist device
7. Setting up input devices
8. Inputing calories from meals
9. How to set the alarm
10. Viewing stored details (weight/blood pressure/blood sugar/calories/etc)
11. Sending details to GP

Brainstorming Session 3

Now that we have chosen our idea and focused on each persona, we can now brainstorm and delve deeper into how the device will potentially operate.

Fig 1.0. Our brainstorm session