HNH Kit - Redesigning Hospital-at-Home Toolkits Through Multi-Sensory Design
Course: Multi-Sensory Design
Program: Erasmus Exchange, University of Twente
Duration: 2-and-a-half months
Introduction
Hospital-at-Home (HaH) programs allow patients to receive hospital-level care in their own homes through portable diagnostic and medical devices. These toolkits include a portable blood pressure monitor, a weighing machine, thermometer, and glucometer. The current Hospital-at-Home toolkit reveals several issues in usability, safety, emotional support, and inclusivity. Devices rely heavily on visual interaction and standard plastic storage boxes that rattle and break during shipping. These limitations increase the risk of incorrect measurements and heighten anxiety for patients. To address these problems, our team redesigned the Hospital-at-Home toolkit by integrating visual, auditory, and tactile cues. By distributing feedback across multiple sensory channels, the redesigned toolkit aims to guide correct usage, reduce cognitive load, and support patient autonomy while blending into everyday domestic life.
Research
To understand the problem, we conducted an expert interview with Dr. Michael van Herwerden from Erasmus MC and carried out an extensive literature review. From this, we derived several key user insights. We found that older adults aged 60 to 80 managing conditions like heart failure often experience age-related declines in vision or hearing, making it difficult to interact with standard medical tools and complex apps. Sticking to a medical schedule is a major struggle, as nearly half of all people with long-term illnesses miss their daily checks simply because they forget. Furthermore, bringing clinical medical tools into private living spaces makes older adults feel like they are losing control over their home environment. When private space starts to feel like a doctor's office, it hurts their self-esteem and sense of independence. Based on these insights, we formulated our core research question: How might we redesign a Hospital-at-Home toolkit to be more accessible, safe, and usable for people with different sensory abilities in a home environment?
Solution
We created a solution that reimagines the Hospital-at-Home toolkit as a supportive, lifestyle-oriented companion rather than a piece of medical equipment. The design features a mobile unit with wheels and a trolley handle, allowing patients to move medical supplies easily without lifting heavy items. The exterior uses warm, familiar textures inspired by wood, while the inside features a flexible Velcro-based system that lets users customize their layout. To support users with varying levels of dexterity and vision, interactions always combine at least two senses:
- Distinct foam shapes (heart-shaped for the blood pressure monitor, star-shaped for the ear thermometer, diamond-shaped for the pulse oximeter, and flower-shaped for the scale) are placed on device pockets so users can identify tools by touch.
- Distinct dual-vibration patterns replace loud or high-frequency alarms to confirm when measurements start and complete.
- Integrated on an iPad screen inside the box, a digital companion designed as an encouraging humanized stethoscope guides users step-by-step through voice guidance and large typography.
We also constructed a low-fi physical prototype out of cardboard, fabric, and foam sheets to evaluate the multisensory experience. While testing showed that replacing screen-heavy interactions with tactile and acoustic cues significantly reduced uncertainty, feedback from clinical stakeholders highlighted future improvements for moisture resistance in bathrooms, easier-to-clean materials, and lockable wheels for smaller spaces.
My Contribution
The primary contribution from my end was to evaluate and suggest solutions that don't depend on visuals. I thoroughly tested each and every device in the HNH Kit from a non-visual perspective and provided suggestions on how to make the kit accessible for people with blindness and visual impairment. Furthermore, I conducted a literature review to understand the different variations of solutions that could help in making the kit more accessible for people with different disabilities.