AirCare

AirCare – 2nd year Master 2021

Aim: Enhance COPD patient compliance for home non-invasive ventilation treatment
Theme: Chronic care, E-health, COPD, Treatment adherence, Data Physicalisation, Behavior Change

AirCare is a data sculpture that aims to empower severe COPD patients by giving them more control over their disease management, resulting in higher treatment adherence.

To enhance COPD patient compliance for HNIV treatment I want to make the treatment more bearable. By giving the patient more confidence in their disease management and empowering them, I motivate the patient to reach daily personal goals. AirCare helps patients to get an improved sense of control and pride when it comes to their healthcare. The different aspects of AirCare play into these keywords in different ways.
The final design of AirCare is based on literature reviews, concept iterations and user/expert evaluations. It is a high quality prototype, suitable for evaluation in context with potential end users and stakeholders.

‘AirCare’ is a pleasing feedback mechanism that gives users insight into their daily routines and the feeling of progress while assisting them in following HNIV treatment correctly. It is a data sculpture, aimed at making self-management easier, that visualizes how close users are to their daily goal of ventilation time. When the organic black shape has folded itself completely inwards, the goal has been achieved. The shape of the black fabric is thus an abstract representation of the users’ data, communicating it to a public area, while still preserving their privacy. Because to the unknown beholder, the shape will mean nothing. The abstract shape will also make sure users don’t get fixated on the specific numbers, but rather give them the feeling of seeing their airways being “refreshed” again. The design of ‘AirCare’ is based on insights from behavior change techniques and aims to motivate COPD patients each day. It does this first and foremost through creating moments of reflection, making invisible progress visible, and increasing performance satisfaction. In addition ‘AirCare’ aims to relieve the stigma that is felt around talking about HNIV care, through sparking conversations about HNIV usage (goals) within families.
The final design of ‘AirCare’ consists of three important aspects. The physicalization of the wearing data, the tactile interaction and reflection, and the digital application.