Pigeon
Pigeon is a new kind of fax machine designed to bridge the gap between preferred methods of communication for the elderly and their loved ones. The device acts as a portal between the physical and digital world, allowing the elderly to fax handwritten notes to the loved one, who receive them through an app, and vice versa.
Project Approach
The project was inspired by my grandmother, who lives alone in South Korea. My family and I had trouble getting in touch with because of her lack of comfort with digital technology.
Instead of "How can we teach the elderly to adapt to our technology?", I wanted to ask the question, "How can we leverage technology to meet the elderly in a way that's comfortable for them?"
Second-Hand Research
Second-hand research affirmed the need for an intervention in this area, particularly elderly living alone and isolated from loved ones: "Loneliness automatically triggers a set of related behavioral and biological processes that contribute to the association between loneliness and premature death in people of all ages," Steven Cole, Social Genomics Core Laboratory at the University of California, Los Angeles. Meanwhile, the older population is ever-increasing, with the number of Americans ages 65 and older projected to nearly double from 52 million in 2018 to 95 million by 2060," Population Reference Bureau.
First-Hand Research
I reached out to a local nursing home, where I was able to interview two residents:
"I usually send my family members a card on their birthdays, this keeps me in touch."
"I can't expect them to always get on a bus and use their limited time to come see me."
"My granddaughter in Nevada texts me, but I don't respond. I wish I could text back, but I don't know how."
Quotes such as the above revealed an affinity for analog methods of communication and a fear of inconveniencing loved ones.
Criteria
From there, I gathered that this design would need to meet two criteria: familiarity for the elderly, and convenience for the loved one.
Research into the history of communication across time and distance (telegrams and the "teleportation" of print material) led me to ask, "What if there was a machine that could materialize text messages and allow the elderly to write back in a tactile and analog way?"— finally leading to the idea for a new kind of fax machine that could "teleport" material across the analog and digital worlds.
Follow-Up Research
The size and proportion of the papers and device were informed by a follow-up, generative research study using a diary-style tool where residents of the nursing home and their loved ones were asked to write notes to each other. Results affirmed that the index-card-size was appropriate for the intended interaction (short, casual exchange of information and sentiments).
The Product
Much consideration was given to every form and interaction decision, as the goal of mediating the analog and digital world using hardware posed unique challenges.
A mechanical knob allows for flipping-through the contacts on a non-touch screen, calling back to the Rolodex (rotating card file device used to store contact lists). The exposed printhead makes the device feel more analog and enchanting especially when in motion, as well as acts as a sort of notification for incoming messages. A spring-loaded, push-to-open feed tray allows for convenient re-filling of paper.