Mattia Pistolesi

Home care aims to reduce hospitalisation rates while ensuring the best possible quality of life for patients. However, before the COVID-19 pandemic, home care services were still fairly limited in Italy. The COVID-19 health emergency highlighted the shortcomings of the National Health System, accelerating the adoption of alternative care models. In response to the increase in hospitalisations, the Rapid Intervention Group for Hospitals and Local Areas (GIROT) was created, which operates in the home using diagnostic technologies equivalent to those used in hospitals. The research focused on the experimental development of the current GIROT service at the Careggi University Hospital in Florence, defining a new home care system focused on user experience and interaction between patients, caregivers and healthcare personnel. The methodology followed the scientific and methodological approach of Human-Centred Design, selecting methods to investigate the needs and frustrations of the people involved. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with healthcare personnel and caregivers, and a co-design workshop was held with GIROT doctors from Careggi. The data collected was systematised using tools such as systemic mapping, personas and user journeys. The analysis highlighted some critical issues in the communication channels, which are fragmented and poorly structured, negatively affecting both the quality of healthcare professionals' work and the autonomy and awareness of patients and carers. The research confirmed the need to implement a new telemedicine service, integrating a digital platform for care management that aims to improve the overall experience, facilitating patient on-boar- ding and off-boarding and supporting the work of the healthcare team.

This study aims to investigate the use of modern health technologies (personal computers, tablets, smartwatches, smart TVs, digital assistants, Artificial intelligence, Apps for wellness, nutrition and sport, smart clothing, subcutaneous devices, glucometer, pulse oximeter, ECG and spirometer), which can be used even without specific medical knowledge, by Italian citizens, the promotion and monitoring of health and wellness. The national study required the submission of a questionnaire, disseminated online using the Google Forms platform. 209 Italian citizens participated in the study, of whom only 190 were eligible, considering the inclusion criteria of the research programme. Based on the Active Ageing Index (AAI) programmed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the study involved people aged 55 and over. The results that emerged will be discussed in the article and will enable the research team to plan and draft the project matrix guidelines as envisaged by the research programme “Age-It Ageing well in ageing society” (Spoke 9, Work Package 1, Task 1.1), an extended partner-ship funded within the framework of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, whose objective is the study of advanced gerontechnologies for active and healthy ageing with low TRL.

Wearable exoskeletons hold promise for reducing the physical strain of healthcare workers, yet their emotional and experiential impact remains underexplored. This study, part of the Exo.Care program, investigated healthcare workers’ emotional responses and user experience during a 30-day trial of a passive exoskeleton in residential and home-care settings. Using the Geneva Emotion Wheel (GEW) and the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ), results showed that initial interactions elicited predominantly positive emotions, such as interest and admiration, reflecting the novelty effect. After prolonged use, positive emotional intensity decreased, while fear and disappointment emerged, highlighting gaps between expectations and actual performance. UEQ results revealed usability challenges in efficiency, dependability, and stimulation, though novelty and attractiveness were positively rated. Findings underscore the importance of integrating emotional and ergonomic factors in exoskeleton design to enhance acceptability, facilitate adoption, and ensure these devices can be effectively incorporated into healthcare workflows.

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterised by motor and non-motor symptoms, which is expected to increase exponentially in the coming decades, with a negative impact on healthcare systems. The disease is chronic and leads to a progressive and gradual loss of independence, with a significant negative impact on the quality of life of the person affected and their family. The research proposal aims to improve the quality of life of people with Parkinson's and their carers through the creation of two virtual emotional scenarios designed to improve well-being, promote positive emotions and, potentially, reduce side effects and dependence on medication. This goal will be pursued using methodological sources and scientific principles found in the literature, which will be implemented through the use of human and technological resources in order to test new intervention scenarios.

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.

In the paper, the authors describe the evaluation and design phases that led to the definition of a novel GUI (Graphic User Interface) designed for a medical device in biology laboratories, i.e. an analytical device for diagnostic investigations that use the serum agglutination technique on a microplate. In particular, some methods of the Human-Centred Design (HCD) approach were used, which made it possible to evaluate the existing state of the interface to be redesigned (phase 1), define the design requirements of the new GUI (phase 2), and finally evaluate the usability levels of the new interface thanks to a usability test session which involved 17 participants with specific training in the biological field (phase 3). The results highlighted the methodology’s effectiveness and possible replicability for other products and graphic interfaces to be used in the medical field and beyond. Furthermore, thanks to the methodological approach adopted, it was possible to identify the main criticalities of the end users, the areas of intervention, and the relevant present and future design solutions. Fundamentally, the project of medical devices implies the knowledge of human factors, which focus on the interaction between human beings and the system, as an element to minimize the risks of use and ensure a safer and usable medical device.

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.

This article describes an action research project aimed at defining guidelines for designing an inclusive and accessible environment for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). The research was based on the Human-Centred Design and Inclusive Design approaches, which allowed the focus to be placed on the needs and expectations of people with PD and their caregivers through their direct involvement in the research activities.

Doctor-patient interaction is possible in any care setting (including the home), with assessments and monitoring enabled by the increasing availability and diffusion of devices. The recent pandemic event has encouraged the use of existing technologies and accelerated the development of new ones. Between September 2021 and May 2022, the Italian Society of Ergonomics and Human Factors (SIE) brought together a multidisciplinary group of researchers to outline the evolution of home care over the next twenty years, exploring its boundaries, trends, and possible scenarios.

Made-in-Italy companies, capable of producing products of the highest quality and of imposing themselves on markets at the international level, have always strived to transfer into design innovation a non-reproducible cultural and productive heritage. A distinctive feature of a production system based on “know-how” is the strong connection between different companies within the same territory and the presence of excellent workmanship and established production traditions, impossible to recon- stitute in contexts other than the original one. Like many Italian regions, Tuscany is characterized by craft excellencies that have contributed significantly to the cultural and economic growth of the region. Many of these, however, fail, due to economic size and cultural background, to keep up to date with the ever-changing demands of a market that wants new products, access to new technologies and attention to sustainability and the life cycle of each product. On this basis, we outline the key role of design as a tool and driver for innova- tion, capable of guiding the company’s strategic choices, including in relation to the sustainability of products and processes. This paper presents the research project “Art, Design and Enterprise for New Young Talents” aimed at proposing and developing new training and production patterns and processes through the placement of young talents, designers and artists, within companies in the Tuscan territory. In fact, putting young creatives in contact with companies can help companies in the path of research and innovation and allows young artists to translate the theoretical framework acquired into a finalized design.