Designing a Mobile Application to Measure Walking Speed for NPH Patients

Abstract: Impairments in walking and balance are symptoms of normal pressure hydrocephalus. Measuring walking speed is therefore important for diagnosing and following the rehabilitation of patients with the diagnosis. However, performing the measurement at the hospital is costly and requires a lot of resources. Therefore, this study aims to propose a design concept enabling patients to measure their walking speed at home. When designing for the elderly and people with cognitive impairments there are various aspects that need to be considered. For instance, one needs to consider that these individuals may have reduced vision, attention, and memory. Through a literature review, guidelines on how to design both generally and specifically for the target group have been gathered. These guidelines were used to develop a prototype which has been evaluated in usability tests and interviews. In total, eleven people participated in the study. The study included a low-fidelity evaluation and a high-fidelity evaluation of the prototype. While the prototype was generally considered intuitive and user-friendly, participants suggested improvements such as reducing unnecessary instructions. Further, it was evident that some elements were hard to see. Overall, participants had a positive attitude to the application and to perform measurements outside of the hospital. The evaluations resulted in a set of final design requirements that concluded simplicity, clarity, and visibility to be vital when designing for the elderly and people with cognitive impairments.