Levelator

LEVELATOR

Senior Lifting Mobility Solution

AGING

Where to focus?

World aging population over age 60

12%

1950

32%

2050

Major issues caused by aging

Health

38%

Physical

35%

Psychological

27%

All issues could result in life inconveniences.

Universality of inconveniences

Mobility

issues

55%

Off-balance

40%

Vision

weakness

37%

Hearing

weakness

35%

Memory

issues

20%

Incontinence

18%

Aging-caused inconveniences lead to various health problems and in turns, accelerating aging process. Mobility issues are the most common inconvenience suffered by seniors. Hence, it is necessary to focus on senior’s mobility issues in priority.

MOBILITY ISSUES

Fact & Analysis

From age 65 to 85

Accident rate

33%

45%

Injury & death rate

10%

50%

25,500

deaths/yr

Off-balance and falling take a major part of safety concerns caused by mobility issues. The most profound effect of falling is the loss of functioning associated with independent living. These injuries cause senior hard to walk or live independently, as well as increase the risk of early death. Many people who fall, even though they are not injured, develop a fear of falling. This fear may limit their activities, which leads to reduced mobility and loss of physical fitness, in turn, increasing their actual risk of falling.

Current solution & usage rates

Rollator and walker are widely used for senior mobility issues.

What do users say?

USER EXPERIENCE

Hard to get up.

Need more storage space.

Has to turn body around to sit down.

Has to reach chair arms before sit down.

Walker can not help me stand up.

Need extra support by wearing a safety belt around the body.

CURRENT PRODUCT

Rollator is too big for room space.

Hard to lock the brakes.

Walker rolls too fast.

Current product sizes are limited. Alternation needs to be made before used by users.

Need space to put the grabber.

User Journey Map

Findings

Unthoughtful product designs could cause inconveniences and safety issues.
Current products focus on solving one problem at a time, ignoring the related issues that remaining to be solved.
The relationship between the product and user is weak and more ergonomics aspects need to be considered.

Ergonomics study

Reachable range

Human reachable range decreases with age. The normal intersect of reachable range for adults is 990 mm. As age goes, there is an average of 70 mm range of reaching difference between people aged 40 and 80.

Muscle Sarcopenia

Human can lose 3% to 5% of their muscle mass per decade after age 30. An average of 8-12% less of strength requirement should be considered into products for seniors.

More handles

Handles are great mobility aids. A relatively large, comfortable handle should be considered when there needs a support.

Harder surfaces

The fingers start to lose sensitivity with age. A senior product should provide fingers with more sensation. A harder surface or interface can give seniors stronger feedback so they know whether they operate products correctly.

Current market insight

Market trend

Rollator

is the bestseller

Over 60%-65% of customers purchase rollators for their mobility support.

Walker and cane sold as a combo

Walker and cane are sold together for seniors who suffer the off-balance issue.

Buying a series

of products

Half of customers buy a set of products instead of one.

Customer review

Slippery wheels

on devices

Wheels on the walker and rollator rolls too fast and hard to control.

Uncomfortable

rubber texture

All the handle surfaces are made from hard plastic or rubber, which feels uncomfortable to seniors.

Senior mobility issues affect every aspect of senior's life, especially in safety concerns. Current product, such as walker, only focuses on solving one mobility problem at a time. Although it helps seniors walk, problems still remain when it comes to switching between sitting and standing. Walking, standing and sitting have yet to be addressed as whole, which has ignored by most designers.

Design opportunities

Design strategy

Improving user experience