Developing mobile application design of virtual pets for caring for the elderly

Abstract

In the population ageing society, the companionship and care of the elderly, the medical system, and the consumer trend cannot be neglected. The contact with the external and the ones caring about oneself is essential for the elderly. This study aims to develop application with the functions of healthcare and accompanying, and the accessibility design is included in the interface, where virtual pets are the major communication media to assist the elderly in using mobile application. The required functions and contents in mobile application as well as the preference for the interface and models of interaction for the elderly are investigated in this study. It aims to ease and convince the elderly of the easy use. In the process of cultivating and training the virtual pet mobile application, the elderly could be accompanied and reduced the sense of loneliness; in the further use and interaction with virtual pet mobile application, the physical and metal conditions of the elderly could be real-time monitored and recorded to assist monitoring stations in managing the physical conditions of the elderly and nursing personnel in periodical checks. This research is preceded as following. First, literatures are reviewed. Second, Focus Group Interview is utilized for concluding the application contents and functions and the requirements and preference of the elderly for virtual pets. Third, an application experimental prototype is designed according to such requirements and preference. Fourth, the questionnaire, aiming to test the usability of the elderly, is filled. Fifth, the principles and suggestions for mobile application design suitable for the elderly are concluded based on the test results and analyses. The research outcome would assist in and contribute to the accessibility design of mobile application and the application to medical care by providing possible solutions for insufficient caring manpower in ageing societies and uneven distribution of medical resources.