Designing for Alzheimer's patients goes beyond addressing cognitive challenges; it's about rekindling connections, evoking memories, and fostering moments of joy. This project merges functionality and empathy, using gentle lights and familiar sounds to offer not just support but also a sense of comfort and emotional engagement.
Role
UX Researcher
UI Designer
Product Designer
Industrial Designer
Platform
Integrated product design
Health Care Platform
Timeframe
6 months
Type
Individual Work
OVERVIEW
Background
What inspired me to design for Alzheimer
While volunteering in a nursing home in Savannah, I met many Alzheimer’s patients who seemed forgotten by society as their memories faded. Yet, even in chaotic memories, they would bring joy to those around them when awareness returned. This moved me deeply, inspiring me to create a product to help them reconnect with memories and stabilize their condition. More than that, this product is designed to support their families, providing comfort and hope.
Why is product is UNIQUE
This design supports Alzheimer's patients by rekindling memories and offering emotional comfort. Using a 40Hz tone and familiar sounds, controlled via a mobile app, it creates moments of calm and connection. Inspired by nursing home experiences, this approach blends cognitive stimulation with personalized support, making memory-recall therapy more intangible and comforting.
How Might We Questions
: How can we evoke patients' memories when they are not able to use the product by themselves?
UXD Process
Academic Research
How b-amyloid causes Alzheimer？
Amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides play a key role in Alzheimer’s disease by forming amyloid plaques in the brain. These plaques disrupt neuron function, leading to cognitive decline. Aβ oligomers, a precursor to plaques, are particularly harmful as they cause calcium imbalance, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Additionally, Aβ triggers abnormal tau protein behavior, forming tangles that worsen neuronal damage.
Is there a way to control or alleviate the formation of B-amyloid?
One hypothesis proposes that stimulating gamma oscillations at 40 Hz may aid in clearing amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques, a key feature of Alzheimer’s disease. Early clinical trials in humans also show promise, with reported improvements in cognitive function and neural connectivity in individuals with Alzheimer’s and mild cognitive impairment.
Design Research
During the interview process, I felt powerless, but I noticed that the interviewees brought happiness to the people around them even though they were struggling with their memories. Patients with early-stage Alzheimer's disease can still live independently, but they often have trouble remembering things. Patients with mid-stage Alzheimer's disease may become fearful or quiet, but they can still maintain some level of independence. Patients with advanced Alzheimer's disease require constant care and attention, 24 hours a day.
Identify Stakeholder
AD care patient
patient’s loved ones (aka family or friends)
Healthcare Professionals and caregivers
Interview Plan
AD patient
Nurse
Family member of the patient
Medical professional (student in rotation)
Expert in AD care
Key User Insights
After conducting interviews, I identified three key user insights
Patients need contactless invisible treatment methods
The stories from memory need to be continuously provided to patients
Patients need physical supervision for more than 15 hours.
User flow
As the project involved designing a product that was supplemented with an app, I employed an unconventional approach to user flow. Rather than using the typical app user flow, I opted for a more immersive and practical approach. I created a 3D interior diagram of a nursing home as a representation of the entire usage process.
Design Revision
Sketching for Product
After meticulously hand-drawing the product style, I meticulously integrated the three major functions of the product. Our primary objective is to provide a seamless and hassle-free experience to patients by offering a light and touchless interaction mode. The product has been designed keeping in mind the diverse needs of patients, and we are committed to delivering the best service possible.
Prototype the Product Configuration and Technical Testing
Final Delivery
Hi-fi Prototype
