Environmental Design for pregnant woman
#Physical computing + Psychology + Clinical UX
Team of 8 I User research, UI design, sensor based environmental interaction design, physical prototyping, usability testing I Professor Tae-i Lee, Korea university, Oct 2016~Dec 2016 — Renewed at 2021
This project is spatial interaction design that combines ultrasound device and maternal chair with the environment. Gynecology examination is an anxious and stressful moment for mothers, and there are psychological and physical burden. To solve this problem, through the industry-university project with Samsung Medison, I designed a clinic experience based on responsive environment, and for verification implemented physical prototyping using Arduino to it.
“ Immersive experience in physical & psychological care”
A new design using sensor based interaction is that in line with the examination process and patient's movement, checkup chair, monitor, lights are adjusted along with conveying multi-sensory stimulation to enhance user's immersive experience.
Interaction Flow
Detail of interaction
1. Change of checkup chair
When the check-up is over and when the user tries to get up, chair tilts forward to help the user stand up easily. Setting the angle of the seat based on study about ‘physiological response to changes in posture.’
The tilted degree of the checkup chair adjusts the angle to the pregnant woman’s body curves. By detecting the woman’s physical trait using pressure sensors, chair’s surface inflates to support the user.
2. Relaxation assistance with indirect light
Changes in color and brightness of the light help the mothers to relax. This interaction is based on the study about stress level being effectively reduced by changes in light interaction.
Lighting to Make You Feel Better: Improving the Mood of Elderly People with Affective Ambiences
3. Responsive information
Doctor : According to which probe type the doctor selected, UI settings on the monitor changes.
Pregnant woman : Information to assist user’s understanding is displayed on the left side of the second monitor. Images are displayed in real time, according to what the doctor explains.
4. Change of lights according to heartbeat
Indirect light in the clinic changes according to fetus’ heartbeat.
Not only illuminance (50lux ~100 lux), but also the 'color temperature' (2100k~2800k) change as well to amplify the feeling of such touching moment.
Because of ultrasonic issue, interaction duration time is 5 seconds.
Design Process
At the UX laboratory of Professor Tae-i Lee of Korea University, I interviewed mothers directly for two months, conducted research in a hospital, and made a working prototype using Arduino to improve and develop the scenario as an undergraduate researcher.
1. Market research
Analyzed the main features and limitations of previous ultrasonic inspection equipment and user experience - Samsung Medison and the competitors.
2. Interview (Written Interview / Focused Group Interview)
In order to get the realistic needs of pregnant women, two interviews conducted according to three categories -- 1) the overall feeling during checkup process, 2) the environment of clinic, and 3) the perception of the ultra-sonic device. Written interviews were conducted with 50 mothers, and 6 FGIs were conducted based on the most important needs from the written interview.
3. Insight Summary
4. Design direction / Ideation
Three features were drawn considering doctor, pregnant woman, and clinical environment.
1. Doctor's Constraints
Ultra-sonic device and probe cradle should be customized to doctor’s physical trait and examination process.
2. Clinical environment
Pregnant mothers should be able to see the monitor easily, and move around safely on the checkup chair without any distractions.
3.Patient’s physical & psychological comfort
Environment of clinic should be more comfort and when pregnant user hears baby's heartbeat, UX improvement points are needed.
5. Developing environmental interaction
According to the movement of users, lightness, checkup chair, and a monitor change automatically
For touching moment, user can check a fetus in multi-sensory stimulation and save it by gesture interaction
Customized approximate sensor based physical-digital checkup system for a doctor
Checkup chair moves to help user, and the video of ultra-sonic sends to father in real time.
6. Building specific user’s journey
7. Prototyping + Verification
Made a physical prototyping through Arduino to analyze and verify the possibility of concepts above. Through user test in the real-environment, and develop the interaction, we decided final premium scenario.
Step 1. Preparation
When a pregnant woman enters, the illumination decreases and the color changes into warm, which can reduce the psychological burden of patients and help her prepare. A notification bell sounds before the checkup chair moves, so that the user is not astonished.
Step 2. Examination
As the chair tilts, a cradle and a second monitor move toward the doctor and pregnant woman respectively. When the doctor takes out a probe, the light dims further, and the UI setting of doctor's monitor is changed according to selected probe type.
Step 3. Emotionally touching point
The pregnant woman can comfortably see the fetus's appearance on the second monitor in front of her eyes, and when listening to the fetus’s heartbeat, the brightness of the light changes minutely matching with heartbeat, which gives her an immersive experience.
Step 4. End of examination
After check-up, alarm bell sounds before the chair starts moving. When the chair tilts forward more than 60%, the probe holder and the mother's monitor return to original location, and the lighting becomes brighter gradually.