the problem
Each year, 3 million adults over the age of 60 are treated for fall-related injuries in the US. Statistically, falling once increases the chances of falling a second time. Falls can result in broken bones and are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries for older adults.
Many of these falls occur at home. I have personally lost loved ones due to falls taking place when they were living alone. Driven by my past experience with this issue, I wanted to explore the at-home fall prevention market and design an improved solution for this global issue.
user surveys
An important step in the research process was engaging with others who have experienced their loved ones falling and injuring themselves at home. I gathered survey data that further reinforced a need for market growth of devices that do not require active input during a fall but still allow the user to live as independently as possible.
System Overview
The Hollie system is designed with low radio wave sensor technology that operates similar to WiFi. Hollie continuously scans the room using behavioral recognition patterns to determine when a fall occurs, and uses a built-in two way speaker and receiver unit to handle calls to a caregiver when an emergency is detected.
LEFT - Before digital onboarding, users must set up their Hollie device and any secondary devices to their selected locations within the user’s home.
ABOVE - In the event of a fall event, the at-home system will send an emergency call to the user’s primary caretaker list. The caretaker will receive a call directly from the specific Hollie device where the fall took place.
Users can go about their daily activities while having peace of mind that the Hollie system will detect and call for help in the case of a fall event.
Caretaker App
With a Hollie device, users can invite their caretakers to download the companion app. The slideshow below offers a snapshot into different user flows and functionality for caregivers using the app to monitor the well-being of their loved ones.
The most important function of the Hollie caretaker app is the ability to check the status of each room where a device is monitoring. Caretakers can also view the history of each device and access logged information about past incidents.
Hollie System Walkthrough
The main Hollie system can be accessed through the LED screen of your device. Users will need to go through onboarding, which includes selecting the location of their Hollie device (users can add more than one device during this step). Users will also set up their primary caregiver information, allow the device to calibrate each room, and run a practice test.
When building screens for a device, one must consider their users. Ideally the Hollie system could be set up by its intended user, which meant that each screen needed to be clear, simple, and easy to understand so that the user can onboard without confusion.