Helix Centre
My role was of a design intern at Helix Centre, an innovation lab in healthcare. The main project I worked on was designing a series of headset prototypes to test with users as part of the non-invasive deep brain stimulation project being carried out in partnership with Nir Grossman’s research group at Imperial College.
Challenge
The purpose of the headset is to enable people living with dementia to do brain stimulation treatment from the comfort of their homes. The headset needs to be:
- Able to repeatedly and accurately place an electrode on the scalp
- Comfortable to wear for an hour
- Socially acceptable
- Suit the individual needs and circumstances of people living with dementia
Approach
- Empathizing with users and technical staff
- Translating user research to design requirements
- Conceptualize, sketch, develop, and build prototypes
- Gathering feedback and insights through user workshops
Solution
5 different concepts embodied through physical prototypes which represent the considerations and concerns from people affected by dementia. The prototypes were pivotal in enriching user workshop discussions and generated valuable insights for further development.
Empathizing
I interviewed users and technical staff members to understand technical requirements. I also did market research into existing wearable devices. The user insights, usability concerns, and technical specifications I gathered were then translated into design requirements.
Design engineering
I sketched 11 unique designs for the headset and selected 5 designs. Next, I made paper prototypes while repeatedly conducting reviews with the team. I then made CAD prototypes and 3D printed prototypes.
Final Prototypes
5 different prototypes were created to explore unique use cases and scenarios.
User workshop
My team and I curated judging criteria for the prototypes. I designed printed information sheets and presented the prototypes through interactive displays. Throughout the workshop, I was the point of contact for anyone with questions about the prototypes.
Reviewing
I synthesized the insights from the workshop into themes of discussion. I curated a list of recommendations for further development of the prototypes and workshops.
