“Adapt technology to suit people:” Tablet designed for older people wins design award

The team behind Australian designed, purpose-built tablet Lumin, used their expertise in tech and design into the "world's easiest tablet for seniors", with their efforts being recognised in the product category at this year's Australian Good Design Awards for Excellence in Design and Innovation.

Rachel Wye, managing director of Good Design Australia, said that this year’s awards showed the profound effect that innovative design can have on people, place and planet.

“The Australian Good Design Awards celebrate the transformative power of design in solving complex business, environmental and societal challenges. This year's winners showcase how design can help drive innovation, generate growth and embed sustainability principles,” Ms Wye said.

"The projects honoured in these Awards exemplify how thoughtful design can drive meaningful change, not only enhancing user experiences and the way people interact with the world, but also contributing to a more sustainable and more prosperous future."

The Lumin tablet was developed to address some of the challenges that older people and those living with disability or chronic illness face in using technology, with the goal of keeping individuals connected to their formal and informal care networks, community, family and friends and reducing incidents of social isolation and loneliness.

The device was purpose-built from the ground up for ease of use, with features like automatic power-on, built-in SIM card, long battery life, and customisable interfaces for users living with cognitive decline.

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Members of the Good Design Awards Jury praised Lumin's user-friendly design and the way it addresses digital exclusion and promotes social connectivity.

"The Jury recognises Lumin’s profound impact on the potential to enhance the quality of life for its users. Its thoughtful design not only facilitates ease of use but also provides a meaningful connection tool for those experiencing age-related difficulties. This project exemplifies how design can address critical social issues and improve user engagement and well-being," they said.

Growing up as a carer himself, Lumin chief Paul Wilson knows how technology can help solve some of the issues associated with the delivery of modern aged care, including the steep rise in a preference for ageing in place and an epidemic of loneliness.

"Lumin is all about making lives brighter," Mr Wilson said.

"It's about how can we positively connect [older] people to their formal and informal care networks to keep them living independently in their home, and we know that by keeping people connected to a like-minded community, family and to their care networks, you avoid isolation and loneliness, which can be a contributor to early onset of chronic health events [like dementia]."

The tablet can aid older people to safely age in place with the use of compatible sensors, wearable tech and smart home functions but can also assist residential aged care providers with community management through a shared calendar, direct messaging and live data.

Central to Lumin's design philosophy is using cutting-edge technology to create a meaningful addition to the lives of the nation's most vulnerable people.

"A good example of how we can adapt the product is we can configure a version of Lumin we call 'OneTouch' specifically built for cognitive impairment, so for early to mid-stages of dementia" Mr Wilson said.

"On the screen you could have a family member's or a friend's face, their name and what relationship they are. It's also got a dementia clock on the screen. We can do things like block inbound calls that aren't in the directory to protect against scam calls for people living with dementia.

"With an ageing population, we adapt the technology to suit the people. We don't expect people to suit the technology."

Lumin is currently focused on the Australian and New Zealand markets, but the company has plans to expand globally to address the growing need for independent living solutions.

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