Team: Dina Abedi, Hypatia Hou, Andre Mangulabnan

Client: Janice Schwartz, MD, Dept of Medicine, Elder Mobility, UCSF

Problem: Touchscreen technology is ubiquitous in work, leisure, communication, and in healthcare. Recent studies show that older adults find touch screens intuitive, respond positively to well-designed touchscreens, and adopt well-designed systems. With >2.8B touchscreen units sold (2016) and >30% of the US population 55+ years old, engaging with touchscreen technology is a growing need.

Need: Our unmet need centers on devising means to overcome physical challenges that older adults encounter in interfacing with technology, including overcoming physical challenges, vision and hearing problems, and small keys/screen buttons that are problematic owing to decreased sensitivity of fingers, tremors, & arthritis.