WarmTech
Introduction & Research
Introduction
WarmTech is a wearable health tracking device primarily for the elderly, especially those living alone. The approach is to design a classic-style object aiming at making the lives of the elderly safer and easier
while providing users the sense of being respected.
Project inspired by: the population aging trend in China, which has sparked numerous societal discussions and problems.
Academic Project
Duration: 4 months (01.2021 - 05.2021)
My role: UI/UX Designer, UX Researcher, Prototype Designer (Arduino + APEX)
Tools: Justinmind/Figma + Arduino + Shima Seiki SDS-ONE APEX
Research directions:
● Wearable technologies
● Fashion brands emphasizing classic styles
● Conductive yarn
● Concerns about life after retirement of seniors.
Deliverable:
● WarmTech 1.0: 1st Mobile App prototype + initial heart rate measurement device
● WarmTech 2.0: 2nd Mobile App prototype + refined heart rate measurement device + APEX wearable model
Research
Project Background
China's aging population is enormous and growing:
● Projected to be aging society by 2027, super-aged by 2047
● Aging trend will continue for 20-30 years
● Proportion of super-aged is growing
● Expected 1 billion aged 80+ by 2052
● Increase in disabled elderly
Challenges for Chinese elderly:
● Desire for dignity in old age, and worries of loneliness and alienation
● Influence of Confucian norm on elderly care
● Increase in "4-2-1" structured families
● Challenge to traditional family care due to aging and decreased birth rate
● Preference to stay in familiar environments
● Growing popularity of "aging at home"
* "Empty-nest" Elderly: 50% (2015)
Elderlies Living Along: 10% (2015)
Rate Of Families Including Elderlies Aged 65 Or Higher(2000 - 2015)
"4-2-1" Family: Four Grandparents, Two parents, And One Child.
* "Empty-nest": Elderly individuals who live alone or with a spouse but do not have any children or younger family members living with them in the same household.
Precedents: Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 5 & Honor Band 6
Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 5
Honor Band 6
Feature Comparison:
Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 5:
● Released by Xiaomi in June 2020
● Features 65 dial themes and a 1.1-inch color screen
● Includes 24-hour heart rate and sleep monitoring, 11 sport modes, menstrual cycle tracking, and notifications
● Offers 50-meter water resistance, magnetic charging, and voice control
● Battery duration of 14 days
● Full GPS
Honor Band 6:
● Released in November 2020
● Features a fullscreen display for the wristband with a 1.47-inch OLED screen
● Offers 10 sport modes, 24-hour heart rate and sleep monitoring, blood oxygen saturation testing, and menstrual cycle tracking
● Similar charging method, water resistance, and voice control as the Mi Smart Band 5
● Connected GPS
Comparison insights:
● Mi Smart Band 5 is slightly cheaper than Honor Band 6
● Mi Offers more color choices for watch belt
● Mi is lighter and slimmer design may appeal to some users
● Mi has full GPS, whereas the Honor Band 6 only has connected GPS,
limiting its accuracy during workouts if users do not have their smartphones with them.
● Honor Band 6 is generally more preferred
● Blood oxygen saturation test makes Honor Band 6 more attractive for users prone to related symptoms
● Honor's collaboration with hospitals provides access to medical resources
● Honor Band 6 more user-friendly with larger screen and physical button
● Both bands have a technological style suited for younger users but may be too harsh for the elderly
WarmTech 1.0
Besides research outcome, based on personal life experience, information acquired from daily conversations and observations, I decided the goal of WarmTech is to design a health tracker for the elderly, aiming to help them maintain good physical health and ensure their safety, while enhancing the wearing experience with a warm, timeless style added to the device. The 1st version of WarmTech was prototyped in 6 weeks.
WarmTech 1.0 Prototypes
App 1.0
Health Tracking Prototype 1.0
WarmTech App 1.0
● The video is a general walkthrough of the App
● Real-time tracking data observation
● Emergency Contact
● Map showing places near user's location;
size is bigger than normal due to poor sight of elderlies
Hardware 1.0 (tracking function):
● Current stage: Heart rate measurement only
● Has a beeping sound echoing with the heartbeat
● A screen showing the BPM
● Implementation: Arduino UNO Board + LCD 1602 + Arduino Passive Buzzer
User Test
Participant Number: 30
Age: 50 - 86
● Test Types: moderated, remote + in-person, explorative
● Testing Method: usability testing (guide users to exlore the app and try the device), remote + in-person interviews for their concerns, opinions and preferences
● Testing Results(Click left/right on image to see different charts):
User Test Insight
● Quite a few users consider the alerting sound too screechy.
● Most wanted new features: hospitals accepting the users' insurance, voice control, insights about the
recorded data, and other health metrics.
● The size and interface aesthetics are also concerns for some.
● Most Concerned about after retirement: health conditions, sudden illness/accidents, and becoming a burden for family.
Insufficient financial support and lack of respect are also mentioned.
WarmTech 2.0
Based on the user test, some of the most wanted new features are added. The user interface is revamped and
device features are improved. The wearable model is also added in the 2.0 version.
New In App 2.0: Day/Night Mode, real-time health data display, weekly health report,
map searching filter, hospitals near me.
New In Health Tracking Device: Re-design of size and look, elimination of sound
Wearable Model: APEX Model + Human Wearing Simulation.
App 2.0
● Current Stage: High-Fidelity Simulation
App 2.0 Information Architechture
Since 2.0 has more features and needs to be more user-friendly, the information architecture which is missing in 1.0 was added before diving into sketch in Figma.
Figma Sketch
Day & Night Mode
A lot of Chinese elderlies like to go for a walk after dinner, and check their phones in the dark from time to time. Quite a few elderlies(at least 10 from my observation) find the screen too bright even if Apple has auto brightness adjustment. As a result, a night mode for the App is also added.
Map
Real-time Health Data
The orginal health data was displayed still, which refreshed every few minutes. The 2.0 version makes the data display real-time, which is more engaging to the user.
Heart Rate
Blood Oxygen Saturation
Weekly Health Report
A weekly health report that shows the average data for each metric, highlights the data that are outside the normal range, and give analysis and suggestions accordingly.
Weekly Report: Day Mode
Weekly Report: Night Mode
Hospitals
Near hospitals are added to "Near Resources". User can search hospitals based on different needs using the filter. Default Setting is showing distance in miles and hospitals covered by user's insurance entered when signing up.
Hospitals
Map
A searching filter is added in 2.0, which simplifies the process for elderlies to
find desired places to go.
Also, besides searching labels shown by default, users can also search and add other labels
by entering the keywords, and the system will find the closest match in the database and add it.
Map
App 2.0 Demo
Demo: Day Mode
Demo: Night Mode
Health Tracking Device 2.0
● Current Stage: Heart Rate Measurement Only
● Based on the user test, I was planning to add blood oxygen saturation tracking. Although due to technical issues the
new function wasn't added successfully, the original model has been revamped by using a more sensitive equiment and made to a smaller size.
Implementation: Arduino UNO Board + MAX 30102 Biosensor + Adafruit OLED Screen.
2.0 VS 1.0
2.0
1.0
Wearable Model
● Current Stage: Simulation Only
● Theoretical Basis: Conductive Yarn
Conductive Yarn:
Definition: Fabrics woven with electronic circuits for flexibility and unique size.
Integration methods: Conductive functions added through knitting, weaving, embroidery, or nonwoven techniques
Current development stage: Majority remains in prototype stage despite ongoing progress
Challenges in industrial implementation: Complexity of embedding technology and costly mass production
Industry optimization: Continual efforts to improve production and material quality
Optimism for health tracker design: Feasibility anticipated with smart textiles in the near future
Iterations
In order to find the design that best fits the function, multiple iterations and simulations are done in APEX. Since something looks pretty in flat layout doesn't necessarily mean it will look as nicely when it’s sewed for wearing.
Final Model
The model is wearing the final model on her right hand. The heart shape on the back is the health tracking sensor.
* Left Hand Side
Right Hand Side
