Francesca Tosi

Hospital communication and wayfinding are crucial challenges, especially in paediatric contexts where orienting oneself in space and managing emotions is particularly difficult. The complexity of hospital environments and the ineffectiveness of orientation systems can cause cognitive stress and difficulties understanding, negatively influencing healthcare quality and operational efficiency. An effective wayfinding system must communicate clear messages, making the hospital space interpretable and familiar, using scientific approaches integrated into the architecture. Technologies such as mobile apps can improve orientation and personalize assistance, but a thorough evaluation of the usability and effectiveness of these systems is necessary. This article addresses the challenges of hospital-paediatric wayfinding by presenting a new mobile app that combines navigation, booking and entertainment. The study, conducted at the Meyer Children’s Hospital in Florence, made it possible to define the requirements of a new orientation system for the medical day hospital, improving autonomous orientation and optimizing the user experience. The proposed solution developed thanks to the application of the Human-Centred Design and User Experience approach, aims to reduce stress and improve hospital efficiency, transforming the wayfinding experience into an interactive and engaging process for paediatric patients and their parents.

The role of new technologies in promoting longevity is a complex and relevant issue. Gerontechnology, a field of research that combines the knowledge of gerontology with technological advances, is central to supporting ageing because it aims to improve prevention and care. Scientific literature and the latest data suggest that, in Italy, the difference in access to and use of technologies between the older and young populations is quite marked. In order to ensure that these technologies are acceptable, accessible and inclusive, it is crucial to know and consider the barriers (cognitive, physical and sensory limitations) that hinder their use by the older popu- lation. This paper explores how the Human-Centred Design approach, in particular the questionnaire, focus group, design workshop, and systematic literature review, facilitated the identification of such limitations and needs of the older population, using this information to develop design strategies for innovative and accessible gerontechnologies. Considering also Goal 3 of the 2030 Agenda, the challenge for the coming years is to design inclusive and win–win technologies to promote active and healthy ageing.

The research approach and the design of the proposed solutions are based on Human-Centred Design and Inclusive Design principles and the involvement of different user profiles, in particular associations of people with visual, hearing and motor disabilities, with whom design solutions have been developed that integrate the possibility of multisensory involvement of visitors and the development of a customisable visitor experience aimed at as wide an audience as possible.

The proposed solutions integrate multisensory stations, which offer the possibility of tactile reading of the works, verbal descriptions, and olfactory stimuli, with video guides created using a mobile application that can be customised according to different needs. The design solutions are accompanied by the creation of a platform for the dissemination and sharing of the project, divided into informative, documentary, instrumental and community sections.  The XALL project, funded by the TIM Foundation and carried out by the Ergonomics and Design Laboratory of the Department of Architecture of the University of Florence, with the participation of the Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering of the Politecnico di Milano, was developed with the Bargello Museum, the Palazzo Vecchio Museum and the Bardini Museum in Florence.  The associations ENS Ente Nazionale Sordi (National Deaf Association), UIC Unione Italiana Ciechi e Ipovedenti (Italian Union of the Blind and Visually Impaired), HABILIA ONLUS Associazione di Paratetraplegici e altri disabili motori (Association of Paraplegics and other Motor Disabled People) participated in the project.

Modern neurophysiological techniques have expanded the under- standing of cortical dysfunctions in paediatric neurological diseases, such as brain injuries and epilepsy, which are associated with high rates of mortality and disability. Electroencephalography (EEG), a crucial method for diagnosing and monitoring critical patients, presents significant challenges in paediatric use due to usability and comfort issues associated with traditional systems. The research at the Meyer Children’s Hospital in Florence aimed to develop innovative solutions to optimise brain activity monitoring in paediatric patients. The interaction between the patient and the device was analysed using Human-Centred Design (HCD) and User Experience (UX) approaches. The investigation revealed critical issues in the current workflow, highlighting usability problems and discomfort caused by traditional EEG devices. These findings led to the design of the Cosmo+ EEG System, a modular device that offers personalised monitoring, providing a more user-friendly and less invasive experience. This device could improve workflow and patient satisfaction, representing a significant advancement in neurophysiology with potential clinical and research applications, including home use.

Today, the social inclusion concept embraces numerous aspects and contexts of everyday life. Inclusive Design, going far beyond the design of products/services, plays a crucial role in fostering the inclusion of individuals within society and improving their living conditions. Inclusive design, however, should ensure a more humane and conscious design process that does not limit its attention solely to artifacts’ usability requirements but allows for the inclusion and evaluation of the emotional effects associated with interacting with them. This aspect is particularly important in the case of products and environments aimed at vulnerable, elderly, or disabled people, which can induce a perception of threat and stigmatize their physical and mental condition. Therefore, this article presents the results of the Home Care Design for Parkinson’s Disease research project. Through the literature review, it was possible to analyze the contribution of technologies in generating pleasurable sensory experiences but, more importantly, to investigate the role of Emotional Design and Evidence-Based Design approach. They can play a role in resolving problems related to environmental, perceptual-sensory, and stress factors and, in some cases, slowing down the course of the disease and ensuring greater well-being. Therefore, the research work, developed through the application of Human-Centered Design methodologies, aims to: (1) define Design Guidelines to identify people with Parkinson’s disease needs and difficulties within the home context; (2) set up an analytical method that proposes future intervention scenarios to improve their quality of life and that of their families and caregivers, through the mapping of emotional indicators.