Multimedia Designer
MICOMED
On Chinese Social Media, I came across a news article reported by the Beijing Evening News in 2015. The general content of the news says that an 8 months old girl needs drug supplementation due to a lack of certain vitamins. She is afraid to take medications, so her parents had to let her take the drug by force-feeding. However, during the process, the little girl cried and scrabbled, causing the pill to be accidentally poured into her trachea. When sent to the hospital for emergency treatment, the little girl had already suffocated. Although her life was saved at the end, she became a “vegetative state”.
This incident prompted my curiosity about why children often resist taking medications. Upon researching the topic online, I discovered numerous articles discussing this common challenge faced by parents during their children's early years. Ensuring proper medication adherence in children is vital for their recovery and overall well-being. This led me to contemplate the possibility of developing a game or app that could engage both parents and children in collaboratively addressing this challenge.
RESEARCH
CHILDREN AND CARTOON
Have you ever encountered a child who isn't excited about watching cartoons? The allure of cartoons lies in their capacity to ignite imagination through creative expressions, vivid colors, captivating stories, and unique characters. Cartoons not only entertain but also serve as valuable tools for emotional regulation and medical purposes. Below, I've outlined four current market applications that showcase these versatile uses.
Data Collected From the Rafi Tone Case
Children reported becoming upset when using their standard spacer reduced to 22% after switched to Rafi Tone system
The number of parents confident that the spacer had delivered the right dose more than doubled.
Trends of Dosage Form Perceived Preferences
IDEATION
The research proves the possibilities of using cartoons to distract children's attentions for medical purposes. I aimed to create an app that:
Mainly targeted children age from 3-10.
Incorporate augmented reality tech to display charming characters and cartoons, easing children's fear about taking medicine.
Document the data upon completing the medication.
Create a reminder to alert parents about the daily medication schedule.
PERSONA BOARDS
CHARACTER DESIGN AND 3D MODELING
Children often will be attracted by characters like super hero or explorer. The design concept of these two characters are two little explorers exploring in the forest. I named this kind of creature as "Mico".
STYLE GUIDE
GAME AND USER EXPERIENCE FLOW
The app offers games centered around the three most common children's dosage forms: liquid, tablet, and capsule. The game flow begins when the app detects the medicine or medicine container; at this point, the animation shifts to a more positive tone, integrating encouraging messages for children.
KEY SCREENS
The app allows users to select between two Mico characters: Jimmy and Amy.
This page allows users to choose the dosage form, with each form featuring 2-3 distinct animations.
AR game page.
Data will be recorded on the home page after the game finished.
Reminders will appear on the home page. Users can click on a reminder to edit it. Scheduled dates will be highlighted with dark blue strokes.
Users will receive notification when the time is here.
Clicking “Start” on the notification bar will directly enter the app - dosage form page.
Users can set up their future medication schedule here.
UNITY : AR MODEL TARGET
I developed the model target function in unity via Vuforia Engine.
Liquid Dosage
Capsule Dosage
Tablet Dosage
DEMO
REFLECTION
The app's functionality and usability could be improved by detecting children's swallowing movements and automatically concluding the game. This presents a promising avenue for further exploration and development within the app.
