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Glowves - Your hand-eye aid
"A glove that glows". Glowves is a glove designed to help elderly individuals perform daily tasks with greater precision and safety. It uses proximity sensors and light projection to detect and illuminate objects, making it easier for users to handle them accurately. The product aims to improve the lives of elderly individuals by enabling greater independence, dignity, safety, and security.
Role
Wearable Tech Designer
Type of work
School Project
Duration
4 weeks
Responsiblity
Tools
UX Research, Hardware Design,
Coding, Sensor Selection,
Physical Prototyping
Miro, Arduino,
Notability
Category
Wearable Tech
Context
With old age, comes many problems. Some are more significant than others as they hamper everyday tasks. The lenses of the eyes become less flexible, which can make it difficult to focus on close-up objects. As a result, elderly individuals may struggle with tasks that require close-up work, such as reading, sewing, or working on a computer.
In addition, the muscles that control eye movement may weaken, which can impact vision perception and hand-eye coordination. This can result in difficulties with tasks that require precise movements, such as threading a needle or cutting vegetables, or grabbing something at night.
Problem Statement
Goals
How might we create a wearable tech aid for the elderly that helps their vision perception and hand-eye coordination, having less technological cognitive load?
Build a product that:
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Is easy to use as the elderly stay away from things that increase cognitive load
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Involves simple tech to avoid complex technology
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Is intuitive and does not require conscious reasoning on each usage
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Is straightforward and gets the job done
Impact
The global population aged 65 and over is rapidly increasing, creating a significant demand for technologies that support independent living for elders. Wearable tech is emerging to fill this gap. Wearables can track vitals, sleep, and activity levels, empowering seniors with estimates suggesting a growing adoption rate of up to 30% among seniors to manage chronic conditions and allowing healthcare providers remote monitoring, potentially reducing hospital readmission rates. As user-friendly interfaces and senior-focused functionalities become more common, wearable technology offers a promising glimpse into a future where seniors can live more independent, healthy, and secure lives.
Due to the constraints of my school project's timeline, I regrettably didn't have the opportunity to conduct real-time testing. However, based on thorough market research, I speculate that my project had the potential to significantly enhance the lives of the elderly population. With further refinement and implementation, this study could serve as a valuable resource for enhancing the well-being and satisfaction of elderly individuals in our community.
EMPATHISE
Web Research
Age-related vision impairment is a major concern among the elderly, affecting approximately 1 billion people globally, many of whom are seniors. Research shows that one in three individuals over 65 experience vision impairments hindering daily activities. Elderly individuals with vision issues may take twice as long to complete tasks, compounded by challenges in motor skills and hand-eye coordination. These difficulties can lead to a loss of independence and negatively impact mental well-being.
Assistive technology offers promising solutions for the elderly with vision and motor skill impairments. Electronic magnifiers and text-to-speech software aid reading and writing, while devices like grab bars and adaptive utensils assist with daily tasks. However, the complexity of these technologies presents a barrier for seniors. It's crucial for assistive technology to be intuitive, easy to use, and accessible for varying degrees of impairment, as it plays a vital role in enhancing the daily lives of the elderly population.
User Research
I spoke to a couple of elderly people and found some of the core pain points which are quoted as follows.
"I find it difficult to thread a needle or even dial a phone number accurately due to my declining hand-eye coordination. It's frustrating and makes me feel dependent."
- Mary, 75
Pouring hot liquids without spilling or cutting vegetables precisely has become a challenge. It's disheartening not being able to cook like I used to."
- Robert, 80
I struggle with tasks like putting on jewelry or tying shoelaces. It's embarrassing to ask for help with such basic activities."
- Patricia, 70
Competitor Analysis
Illuminating Gloves
These gloves have LED lights in the fingertips that provide a bright light source for tasks that require close-up work, such as sewing, knitting, and reading. They are also adjustable and designed to fit a range of hand sizes.
LED Flashlight Gloves
These gloves have LED lights built into the knuckles and provide a bright, hands-free light source for outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, and fishing. They are also designed to be durable and weather-resistant.
Lighted Arthritis Gloves
These gloves are designed to provide compression and support to the hands and wrists while incorporating LED lights in the fingertips. They are specifically designed for individuals with arthritis or other hand conditions that cause pain and discomfort.
DEFINE
Empathy Mapping
What does the user see?
The user sees a pair of gloves that look like regular gloves but have sensors and light projections.
What does the user hear?
The user may hear instructions on how to use the gloves and the benefits they provide.
What does the user think and feel?
The user may feel frustrated with their limited ability to perform simple tasks due to age-related physical and mental challenges. The user may feel a loss of independence and a reduced sense of dignity as they struggle with these challenges.
What does the user say and do?
The user may say things like "I wish I could do this on my own," or "I hate having to ask for help all the time."
The user may avoid certain tasks or activities that they find challenging or difficult. The user may rely on others to perform tasks for them.
What are the user's pain points?
The user experiences physical and mental challenges that make daily tasks difficult and potentially dangerous. The user struggles with hand-eye coordination and accuracy in performing simple tasks. The user may feel isolated and dependent on others due to their challenges.
What are the user's gains?
The user gains greater independence and a sense of control over their daily tasks. The user gains greater accuracy and safety in performing tasks, reducing the risk of accidents. The user gains a greater sense of dignity and self-worth as they are able to perform tasks on their own.
Affinity Mapping
The affinity mapping for Glowves highlights how the product can improve the lives of elderly individuals facing physical and mental challenges. The mapping identifies the challenges faced by the users, the features of Glowves that address these challenges, the benefits of using Glowves for elderly individuals, the potential impact on society, and the business opportunities associated with the product. The mapping shows that Glowves has the potential to have a positive impact on society, provide significant benefits to elderly individuals, and present business opportunities in the elderly-friendly technologies market and healthcare sector.
IDEATE
User Persona
Timeline
Solution
Glowves is a glove designed to improve the lives of elderly individuals by enabling greater precision and reducing the risk of accidents. It uses proximity sensors and light projection to detect and illuminate objects, making it easier for users to handle them accurately.
By enabling greater precision and reducing the risk of accidents, Glowves aims to help elderly individuals maintain their independence and dignity, while also providing a greater sense of safety and security.
Envisioned User Experience
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The elderly user needs to complete a task, such as threading a needle but struggles due to poor vision and hand-eye coordination.
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The user reaches for Glowves, which are always within reach and puts them on like a normal glove.
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The gloves detect the proximity of the object and project a beam of light directly onto it, making it easier to see and handle with greater accuracy.
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The user is able to complete the task with ease, thanks to the added assistance provided by Glowves.
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After completing the task, the user simply removes the gloves and sets them aside, ready for the next use.
PROTOTYPE
Circuit Prototype
A total of 5 LEDs (to project light on object) with 1 ultrasonic sensor SR04 (to detect the object's proximity) and an Arduino board was used to complete the electric circuit inside the Glowve prototype.
Arduino Board
LED
SR04 sensor
Circuit Testing: No object infront of SR04 so the LEDs don't light up.
Circuit Testing: Object infront of SR04 (within the 5cm range) so the LEDs light up.
Physical Prototype
Future Scope
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Make Glowve completely wireless for ease of use and mobility.
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Add a sound alert mechanism to provide audio feedback for the user.
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Include a screen on the glove that displays a to-do list with the option to check off completed tasks.
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Expand the functionality of Glowve to an app for caregivers or tech-savvy family members to monitor the elderly person's well-being and activity.
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Enhance the accuracy and precision of proximity detection and light projection technology.
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Integrate voice commands for hands-free operation and added convenience.
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Explore the possibility of integrating other assistive technologies, such as haptic feedback or gesture recognition, to further improve the user experience.
Personal Reflections
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The elderly-friendly technologies market and healthcare sector present significant business opportunities, as the population of elderly individuals continues to grow and demand for products and services that meet their needs increases.
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Like elderly individuals, mechanics and dentists may also face challenges with vision and hand-eye coordination, which can impact their ability to perform precision tasks. Glowves could potentially provide a solution to these challenges by helping to illuminate and detect small objects, thereby improving the accuracy and safety of these tasks.
