Intellispace Diagnostic Center
Project Goals
This project started with a simple prompt, select one of more of the following terms and design around that with a brand:
Internet of things
Ubiquitous Computing
Wearable Technology
I chose all three.
This solo project spanned 9 weeks it was supervised by Sam Aquillano.
Research
I started researching what these terms meant. At its simplest the internet of things means everything is in communication with everything, ubiquitous computing means everything is smart and the more obvious, wearable technology mean portable computers. Now that I understood what these terms meant, I had to pick an industry to apply them to. I chose the healthcare industry not only because it's a personal interest of mine, but I think there is a lot of opportunity to design in healthcare.
I interview 15 people and distilled them into two buckets the frequently ill and the rarely ill. Neither group was particularly thrilled with their last doctor visits because they struggled understanding their diagnosis and it's severity. Falling ill is terrifying, especially if you can't see where the problem is or understand what the doctor is telling you. My mission was to design something that would help patients understand their diagnosis and its severity alongside the internet of things, ubiquitous computing and wearable tech.
I was both inspired and blown away when I saw the Bodies Exhibit. I found it be a powerful way to explore the complexity of the human anatomy because for the first time you were able to see context, layer by layer. I wanted to incorporate this experience into my concepts.
Ideation
I started with three initial concepts. The first slicing a CAT scan into layer so the patient want take a virtual tour of their diagnosis with their doctor. The second overlaying your scan onto a mirror so you could superimpose your scan onto yourself. The third uses xBox Kinect technology to match the patients body position to their scan. After reviewing these concepts, it was unclear why they should be separate so I combined them into one and started sketching.
I wanted a double paned screen system so the user could push and pull their body images to make an interactive experience. The wearable wristband would provide patient information and vital sign readings.
I chose to brand my concept to Philips because of their excellence in healthcare and their existing product lines. Philips already has a presence in hospitals and their portfolio contain a wast array of medical equipment.
Concept
As the patient steps onto the system it recognizes them by their wrist band and welcomes them. The floor plate can provide weight information while the system detects body position with Kinect technology. The user interacts with the system with gestures.
The wristband holds patient information and can communicate with other devices with RFID technology. To minimize power consumption I chose to use an E-ink screen that would rarely need to be refreshed. The band would monitor vital signs and alert a doctor is the patient was experiencing abnormal reading. The wristband can adjust by changing out the clip in the back to expand or shirk as needed.
The user can navigate through the interface with gestures. Watch the video below to see the interactions!