Project Outcome
Research & Process
Project Information
This project explores how technology can bring elders a renewed sense of connection and creativity rather than passive consumption. Through research, interviews, and prototyping, I designed an interactive system where older adults use a handheld device (scroll) to “draw” and engage with generative visuals on a TV screen—turning simple gestures and movements into moments of immersive, meaningful play.
Tool Used
Figma, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator
VS Code
Category
Service Design / System Design / UIUX
Chinese Elder Community, Pandemic, and Short videosIn the post-pandemic era, Chinese elders spend more time online.
Due to physical limitations and environmental factors, many remain at home, facing growing loneliness. For some, the internet has become their only form of entertainment. Yet this reliance often confines them to a narrow stream of information—much of which is questionable in quality and reliability.
Elders Inside Informational BubblesDesign Objectives
Like my grandparents, many elderly people are trapped in online information bubbles, where livestreams and low-cost products are often framed as ways to earn money. With few engaging entertainment options and limited physical ability for outdoor activities, phone browsing has become their primary form of leisure.
Case1
My grandma loves to purchase cheap whole-sale daily necessities from video platform while watching livestreams, useless rough-made products starts filling up their room.
Case2
My grandpa (maternal) watches livestreams on Kuaishou for 4hrs/day, and he said that he could gain ten cents for each hour staying online.I want to fulfill their need of fulfilling the boring life and self-worthiness, using a healthier way.
Research
From my research, I found that seniors’ online participation and screen time have continued to rise in recent years.In my own family, even though local middle-class communities provide activities, many elders are unable to join due to physical conditions—leaving them without social engagement or regular exercise.
Interviews & User Profile
My grandfather lives a very structured daily life. I observed his routine and conducted an interview, then mapped his experiences and feelings into the following user journey. These takeaways informed and inspired the direction of my later design work.
Ideation & ConceptI drew inspiration from my grandfather’s hobby—calligraphy, or more precisely, his act of “writing and painting with a brush.” This gesture represents a form of active output, a deliberate, expressive motion.
Calligraphy and traditional Chinese painting are also common pastimes among educated, middle-class elderly individuals in China, making this behavior a culturally resonant foundation for the design.
The story of Ma Liang’s magic brush parallels the idea of Generative AI: turning imagination into reality. It also reflects the project’s emphasis on active participation: encouraging users to move from passive viewing to creative exploration within the digital world.Device Proportion
This is game for elders where players hold a handheld device and interact with visual content on a TV screen through writing, movement, and gesture.
CodingTV Screen Site Map
User Test