Pixel

1. Understanding Design Brief

2. User Persona

3. Ideation and Technologies Used

4. Form Evolution

5. Final Product 

H.O.P.E

Haptic Optimised Personal Empathizer is an interactive design solution in the form of public installation as an initiative to help and comfort people facing clinical depression.

H.O.P.E is a pod structure installation which constitutes a combination of Haptic Technology with an Artificial Intelligence (AI) which contains the combined elements of Machine Learning (ML) , Brain Computer Interface (BCI) and Augmented Reality (AR).

Salient Features

Accommodates one person at a time to ensure the privacy and comfort of the user

The AI Begins to interact with the user in a friendly and non - overwhelming manner

The Pod senses the physical and mental state of the user and begins to provide an agreeable environment to him/her by using Haptics technology which provides the sensation of warmth and comfort.

The AI interacts with the user through the Augmented Reality Interface and starts its counselling / chat sessions.

1. Frustrated from his boss at work, Darshil goes out for a tea break.

2. He tries to call his friend Rohan but it seems he’s busy. He looks at the poster of HOPE stuck on the wall. HOPE offers to fight depression but he isn’t convinced by the idea of talking to AI about his issues.

3. After finishing his tea, he starts walking towards his office and saw his colleague Ashish coming out of HOPE pod. He was surprised that his friend actually thought HOPE might help.

4. Next day, again in frustration, Darshil takes a tea break but this time with Ashish. Ashish noticed that Darshil is depressed because of his work. Ashish then starts to tell him his experience with HOPE and how it helped.

5. Ashish tells him how when he first went inside he wasn’t very comfortable. But haptic optimised chair of HOPE really made him comfortable and feel at home. He felt he can trust HOPE with his life stories.

6. HOPE started conversing with Ashish. He started to share his feelings and stories with HOPE. HOPE’s response was really empathetic and wasn’t imposing any thoughts or advices on him.

7. Ashish got emotional, started shouting and sharing his life story with HOPE. He started feeling comfortable while sharing his life stories.

8. Ashish started to cry in the middle of the conversation with HOPE. He took out all the frustration in his mind. HOPE listened to him patiently and created a warm homely feeling for him.

9. Haptic optimised chair of HOPE started sending vibrations and sensations to Ashish’s hand to give him a feeling that somebody is actually holding his hand.

10. Interior edges of HOPE started glowing to give a fresh and warm feeling. It comforted Ashish and made him feel that somebody is there to listen. He gained courage and became calm.

11. Ashish was feeling better now. He thanked HOPE for her help and left the pod. Darshil is amazed by this and is actually convinced to break the social stigma of not taking help for depression.

12. Darshil is convinced to tryout HOPE to release his depressing thoughts. Ashish finished his tea and went back to work while Darshil starts to walk towards HOPE.

Depression is an extremely common illness affecting people of all ages, genders, different socioeconomic groups and religions in India and all over the world. Globally, an estimated 322 million people were affected by depression in 2015. Depression contributes to significant disease burden at national and global levels. At the individual and family level, depression leads to poor quality of life, causing huge social and economic impact.

India is home to an estimated 57 million people (18% of the global estimate) affected by depression. With India witnessing significant changes (including globalisation, urbanisation, migration, and modernisation) that is coupled with rapid sociodemographic transition, depression is likely to increase in the coming years.

By 2025, DALYs (Disability Adjusted Life Years) attributable to depression are projected to rise by roughly 2.6 11 million (22.5%) due to population growth and ageing.

Trust and Responsibility plays a vital role from a user’s perspective in the context of Mental Health and Illness.  The Trust Factors can broadly be categorised as •    Lack of Trust leading to anger, fear, social rejection, frustration •    Withdrawal Symptoms such as socially awkward, cutting off from the society. •    Arise of Insecurities of being labelled as mentally sick •    Societal Judgment declining the state of depression as a problem at all.

Further, in terms of providing a responsible design solution. •    The solution should be Non- Imposing and not leading to further distress to the user •    Approachable, Accessible and Adaptable •    User information in this context requires to be handled sensitively, User Data is of prime importance and should handles responsibility •    The solution should not be temporary or addictive and do not cause or lead to any sort of substance abuse

With High rates and increasing cases of depression all over the world, it becomes a responsibility as a society for the impacted and the non-impacted to build a level of Mutual Trust where responsible design solutions are well adopted and incorporated.

"It's not hard to keep things locked," she said. "It would be harder to make them leave when they don't have anywhere to go."

Research Reference:

http://www.searo.who.int/india/depression_in_india.pdf

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/depression/teenagers-guide-to-depression.htm