By: Andre G Taris
Keywords: Digital Health, Transitional sleep object
Design Goal and Interaction vision:
To provide a better sleep through the use of a transitional sleeping object [added comfort and reassurance]. The object assist in maintaining the optimum body temperature and position during sleep.
Research Explorations:
After formulating a solid research goal, data collection began where the experience occurs. In the bed room context observations of users going to bed or waking up (re-enactment). Go into people’s homes, talk to them while they are sitting on their bed. Follow-up interview included the re-enactment of key interactions with the bedroom environment. Participants were actively engaged, collecting the required information in cultural probes. Stimulus session sheets were used to understand how the ideal experience translates into solutions. The final research stage involved a multi-sensory experiential prototype. Two participants were asked to use it for the night. Insights were documented in a follow up interview. Participants used the device in a small scale evaluation study, testing all relevant interactions. Observed participants setting mode and basic charging usability evaluation.
Design Explorations:
Initial concepts were generated from the cultural probes and other early research explorations. The first stage of design exploration involved a low fi mock up of the initial concept. Concepts were evaluated against the drivers discovered in the first research stage of the project. The data gathered from these sessions was analyzed and used to create a second experiential prototype. The two separate iterations of the concept allowed for further development of the temperature aspect of the design. This evolved into the final concept of which a final small-scale evaluation study was conducted. Insights gathered from the final model allowed for the development of a tandem online application that helped monitor and improve key interactions of the sleep experience, sleep and comfort.
Final Design:
A physical companion, Sleepmate provides reassurance through object companionship. Like your favorite pillow, through the act of washing the cover, it ages over time. Able to regulate body temperature, the final concept learns the users optimum sleeping cycle temperatures and is operated in either winter or summer mode. No cords in the bed, it simply charges while you are awake. The Sleepmate is a smart device able to relay information on your sleeping pattern to an online application. Contact with the device warms the lower body using built in warming segment and thermostat. During the night the device keeps the body at optimum temperature and wakes the user with a natural reduction in temperature.
