Francesca Tosi

Nowadays, research and innovation in pediatrics represent both a challenge and a major opportunity for development. The emergence of new clinical issues, combined with scientific knowledge and multidisciplinary approaches, opens the way to innovative solutions aimed at improving pediatric care. Digital technologies play a particularly relevant role in this process, especially in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs), where the fragility of young patients requires increasingly advanced care tools. However, in pediatric settings, particularly in neonatology, healthcare errors can occur. Due to the complexity of treatments and the equipment required, children are exposed to risks three times higher than adults (Kaushal et al., 2001). A major source of errors is mechanical ventilation, which, although necessary, can lead to human errors and risks related to its use, including physiological complications. Moreover, usability and interface issues in medical devices can further increase the likelihood of errors, highlighting the need for the development of new solutions to improve neonatal care. The general objective of this study, conducted at the Meyer University Hospital (AOU Meyer) in Florence, was to enhance not only the well-being of the young patient but also the working conditions of medical and healthcare staff, facilitating interaction, simplifying necessary actions, and minimizing the risk of misuse of ventilators. Research outcomes were achieved through the application of usability and safety evaluation methods characteristic of Human-Centred Design (Tosi, 2020). These methods allowed for a focus on the needs of users interacting with medical devices and on the diverse competencies of professionals involved in designing and delivering services. Through field studies and consultations with experts and healthcare professionals—including direct observations, semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, scenarios, journey mapping, workflow analysis, and task analysis—it was possible to collect information on how current ventilators interface with users and the challenges they present. Despite meeting clinical needs, existing ventilators can generate difficulties related to assembly complexity, readability of digital interfaces, the presence of numerous devices during transport, and organization of care phases (Iacono et al., 2023). User analysis and the assessment of existing products/systems allowed the identification of potential scenarios and intervention solutions. This process led to the definition of the requirements for the concept Andy, a new ventilation system based on three core principles: the morphology and physical interface of the device, a user-friendly digital interface, and versatility and transportability. Andy, the next-generation ventilator, redefines ventilatory care dynamics, reducing risk factors and enabling continuous use without the need to disconnect the patient or replace the device when moving between settings (from ward to transport). The results demonstrated the potential and benefits of applying Ergonomics for Design and Human-Centred Design methodologies to healthcare solutions. Specifically, the proposed scenario positions the new ventilator as a solution to actions currently considered extremely risky for patients, reducing user errors caused by the use of multiple ventilators with different features and interfaces, and making the product versatile and easy to use both in the ward and during protected neonatal transport. Due to its remarkable innovativeness, Andy was awarded the prestigious iF DESIGN TALENT AWARD 2022.

The manufacturing industry represents a highly productive sector for the Italian economy and for Tuscany. This sector provides employment to many categories of workers, including operators over 50 years of age. Demographic trends concerning the active workforce in the EU-27 indicate that the age group between 55 and 64 years will increase by approximately 16.2% between 2010 and 2030, while all other age groups are expected to decrease, ranging from 5.4% (ages 40–54) to 14.9% (ages 25–39) [1]. The International Labour Office has emphasized that the aging of the active workforce poses challenges closely related both to safeguarding health and safety conditions in the workplace and to increasing the safety and usability levels of medium- and high-complexity machinery [2].

The proliferation of new interactive, digital and connected objects is bringing about significant transformations in our world, generating new ways of living and new channels of access to communication. The healthcare sector is one of the sectors most affected by this digital revolution. Gerontechnology, a relatively recent field of research, studies the interaction between increasing longevity and the development of emerging health technologies. Therefore, from a theoretical point of view, digital health technologies can support successful ageing, but in practice, the results fall short of the expectations of elderly users, as the elderly population is less able to access new technologies and is less open to innovation. In order to limit the Grey Digital Divide, in recent years, the design of gerontechnologies has been influenced by the anthropocentric approach, a design approach that places older adults within the design process by considering them as a social resource. In this article, the authors introduce the first results of the research project “Age-It Ageing well in an ageing society”, a project funded under the National Recovery and Resilence Plan.

The contribution 'Design for Inclusion: Strategies and Design Experiments for Inclusive Museums' explores the role of design in museum accessibility and inclusion, focusing on strategies and design experiments aimed at removing physical and cognitive barriers. Through the 'XAll – A Whole Different Guide' project and the subsequent collaboration with the Museo di Palazzo Vecchio, innovative solutions are presented, such as multisensory stations, tactile tablets, and interactive digital technologies, to foster a visiting experience open to all. The essay highlights how inclusive design and Human-Centred Design can enhance the enjoyment of cultural heritage, making museums accessible, participatory, and stimulating spaces for diverse audiences.

The progressive aging of the global population represents, on one hand, an achievement of modern society and, on the other, one of the main socio-economic challenges for healthcare and pension systems. A direct consequence is the increase in chronic-degenerative diseases, resulting in rising care costs that heavily impact the economic sustainability of healthcare systems. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is among the most common degenerative disorders of the central nervous system. Since the incidence of PD increases significantly with age, it is expected to continue rising in the future. Estimates indicate that in 1990 there were approximately 2.5 million confirmed cases of people with PD, increasing to 6.1 million in 2016, and projected to reach about 9 million in 2030 and 13 million in 2040 [1][2]. The general objective of this research program was to define design guidelines aimed at identifying the main areas of difficulty experienced by people with PD during daily life and social activities within the private home environment. Ultimately, the goal was to define design solutions that ensure maximum accessibility, usability, safety, and comfort in the domestic environment, including its furnishings and equipment.