Neuranect

A motion-based therapy device using serious games to delay dementia while adapting to users' cognitive and physical needs.

Stanford University Center on Longevity Design Challenge

Year: 2023

Duration: 4 Weeks

Team: Sebastian Truijens, Ege Seçgin, Stepan Vedunov, Elia Salerno

Role: Service & User Experience Design, Video Production

Health Design

UX/UI Design

Interaction Design

Industrial Design

Embedded Systems

Neuranect project video

Our defined focus

How might we design a user-friendly therapy device that leverages serious games and motion capture to enhance cognitive and physical abilities, while ensuring accessibility and autonomy for individuals with varying dementia severity?

Field research (Dividat)

Field research (Dividat)

Field research (Dividat)

Field research (Dividat)

Dividat analysis

Dividat analysis

To see a competitor device in action, we visited an elderly home that employed a Dividat game trainer and observed and interviewed multiple elderlies using them. While the foot controller was intuitive, it lacked accuracy and restricted input to leg movements, neglecting upper body engagement.

Neuranect concept overview

Concept overview

Flowchart

Flowchart

Login

Login

Game onboarding

Game onboarding

Stats and feedback

Stats and feedback

Neura game

Neura game

Bee game

Bee game

Industrial Design

Industrial Design

Neuranect Mockup

Neuranect Mockup

Findings

Our research emphasized the importance of a user-friendly interface and seamless onboarding. Complex setup steps can deter participation, making automation and ease-of-use critical. Intuitive interaction is essential for sustained engagement. The games should be enjoyable, rewarding, and tailored to user abilities. The mapping between physical movement and gameplay must be clear and natural. As a next step, we plan to build and test a working prototype with users to validate our assumptions. We will explore reinforcement systems, such as audio feedback in natural language, to enhance motivation. Additionally, we aim to expand interaction options to include both fine and gross motor movements for a more comprehensive training experience.

Kiwa

Anne