Preserving Independence

Falls are one of the most common causes of injury among the elderly, and thus one of the main reasons they lose independence. For seniors who want to age in place, this is a serious danger. To help prevent these falls and help maintain seniors' independence we designed a bed-side assistive device. Through physical and cognitive assessment the system tailors a program of cognitive stimulation and physical support. In addition to preventing falls as a bed rail and guiding the user through proper standing technique, the device reduces dependency on itself with exercise routines which improve physical and cognitive function. While such a device might seem draconian, the device integrates with seniors' existing bedroom furniture, preserving their identity and offering a reassuring safety net.

We used a variety of prototypes to design this product, including cardboard, foam models, and t-slot aluminum tubing to explore the form and arrangement of the product. Alertness tests and feedback mechanisms were explored through interactive Processing sketches and Ardunio prototypes integrated into the foam form. The Processing prototypes of the alertness tests are embedded below (uses Processing.js and HTML5, may not work in all browsers).