XLO
For my 4th-year honours Thesis on Improving Mobility Access for the Disabled Elderly in the Future. In semester 1, we researched and wrote a thesis and then in semester 2 we designed a solution from the findings.
In the next two-decades in Queensland, it is expected that there will be one in five people aged over 65. As the aged population grows, mobility and accessibility demand will increase significantly. Having access to transport is essential for quality of life, especially for the disabled. However, it is an expensive task, which can impact thousands of people every day. As there is a lack of communication between the aged disabled people and transport services and difficulty to embark and disembark buses.
Projected to be used by 2030, XLO is an interactive screen embedded into smart bus stops and located at the entry of large bus stations. Users can scan their go-card to pay their fare, access travel updates, update their profile, plan a journey, top up Go-card, have assistance with navigation and improve the communication between the passenger and transport service. XLO aims to help the disabled elderly to allow them to notify the driverless bus and transport staff that they need assistance embarking and disembarking the vehicle and what type of assistance, during their journey at certain locations. The need for XLO is that it helps users, especially who need special requirements to plan and receive adequate assistance for their travel journey. When planning ahead, the users notify the driverless bus if they need any assistance, such as wheelchair ramps access to receive physical assistance if necessary.
Check out my fellow designers (graduates) work here:
https://www.4thfloorexhibition.com/
Our final year designs were showcased at the QUT Design Festival 2017:
From the research conducted mobility accessibility, cognitive and physical impairment and social exclusion are the main factors that influence the disabled elderly’s ability to access and use public transport services. As seen in the customer journey map, half of their experience is negative, as they cannot walk far, need stability or wheelchair assistance when boarding and have challenges with navigating.
as shown in the product ecosystem, there are many products & services involved to make the transport service convenient. All the products and services are connected to the internet of things and the information goes to a cloud. This is where driverless buses and transport staff are notified for any assistance required at an upcoming stop, using real-time information.
From the research conducted mobility accessibility, cognitive and physical impairment and social exclusion are the main factors that influence the disabled elderly’s ability to access and use public transport services. As seen in the customer journey map, half of their experience is negative, as they cannot walk far, need stability or wheelchair assistance when boarding and have challenges with navigating.
