Click: connecting homebound seniors through interactive TV

(Yahoo Design Week) – I met with Ben Leduc Mills one of the 4 designers of this cool project (Blanka Lenart, Sonia Nelson, Ilan Schifter). The new technologies for entertainment rarely focus on the senior citizens; they mostly aim to please the 10 to 25 years old crowd. Designing a device with a simple user interface so that senior citizens will not be afraid to use it is a challenge and this project seems promising: a set-top box connected to the user’s television delivers programming initiated by community organization into his/her home. A simple seven buttons remote control allows the user to navigate the courses and entertainment listed on the television’s digital guide. A microphone on the remote control and a web cam fixed on the set-top box make the experience interactive. The goal is to alleviate the social isolation that contributes to depression among homebound senior citizens.

This idea is great and Ben told me that the Senior Center is very enthusiastic about this project, they already have content to provide. The remote control is simulated on the screen (see photo), it would be cool if these students could find a partner to manufacture it, feel free to email us if you want to help. (contact [at] ubergizmo.com)

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