Age is typically affiliated with the decline of cognitive function and the probability to be diagnosed with neurodegenerative disease, namely dementia. Of all dementia-related deficits, the paper highlights on the decline of wayfinding ability, since it is interrelated with mobility, autonomy, caregiving burden and eventually institutionalization. The sense of directions in elderly is also affected by the sensory changes, while the most obvious sensory declines are both vision and hearing. Hence navigation systems that support mainly on visual and auditory may not be the best option for them. A concept of wearable navigational assistance that is non-intrusive and uses haptic stimuli instead of visual and/or audio signals is presented in this paper. A Usability Test (UT) was performed towards the elderly with dementia at a selected nursing home to investigate how they perceive haptic-feedback as a modality of navigation. The assessments involved three phases: (1) orientation or training, (2) navigation test and (3) further navigation test. Results indicate the potential efficacy of haptic modality as a navigation signal. Improvement on subjects’ navigational performance was shown especially during the further navigation test, signifying the familiarization of the intervention. Employing the haptic modality could be a beneficial substitute for navigational purpose when vision and audio are less appropriate. Nevertheless, as much as the encouraging outcomes from the results and analysis of the assessments are valuable, the constructive reviews attained are indeed important for the future development of the device system.

Abstract:Background: Signage provides information and direction. It is important as a medium to show direction in offices and public buildings. It is more crucial for emergency services, specifically hospitals. Incomplete information and confusion of signage are among common issues being raised by the public to hospital management. Objective:This study is carried out to determine user height preferencesof Hospital Kajang's signage and to proposean appropriate height forits future signage. Approach: Thirty five respondents(20male and 15 female) participated in this study. They are aged between 18 to 60 years old with the mean of age at39years old. Their stature height and eye-level height are measured using SECA Stable Stadiometer.They are asked to give a rating using 1-10 scaleon threequestions to measure their preferences towards the present signage.The studied signage is also measured using standard measuring tape. The data is analyzed using SPSS.Results:It is found that 25 respondents(71.43%) agree to say that the height of signage in Hospital Kajang is too highwhile10 of them (28.57%)disagree. The signage should be10.5 cm lower from present height in order to optimize its function for both groups. The proposed signage height should be 187.5 cmfrom the floor. Conclusion:The present signage in Hospital Kajang requires necessaryheight readjustment to satisfythe majority of its staffs and visitors. The improvement is vital to ensure the signage meet the directional purpose.

Protective behaviours – such as wearing face masks, ensuring good hygiene, maintaining social distancing, and limiting physical contact – have been acknowledged as effective non-pharmaceutical solutions for pandemic prevention. However, many people often fail to adhere to these behaviour modifications. To better understand the issue, this study explores individuals' behaviour change situations during the COVID-19 pandemic and proposes appropriate design strategies. To collect valuable data for analysis, the researcher utilized three qualitative methods including observation, nominal group technique (NGT), and a user interview. Five facets of the current behaviour change situation were examined in Hefei, China. These include surveillance, publicity and information dissemination, public facilities and auxiliary tools design, people's attitudes towards behaviour change, and their actual behaviour performance. Moreover, the researchers also examined key challenges and design limitations of behaviour change situations, which were ranked based on voting results from three NGT groups. These theoretical findings may provide valuable insights to guide practical designs and policymaking within the domain of pandemic prevention and control.

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Previous studies have found several discrepancies regarding walking frames/walkers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the issues and challenges that the elderly face when using a walking frame/walker, as well as to identify potential solutions and considerations. The Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) sessions were conducted in this study which involved seventeen respondents from various parties, including people aged 60 and above (current users of walking frames/walkers), their caregivers, industry people involved in the marketing and selling of walking frames/walkers and experts/researchers. Interview data as verbatim transcripts were analyzed thematically and gathered systematically into a specific classification according to the House of Quality (HoQ) for technical analysis. Findings on FGD showed that quality, design, and cost were key issues raised by respondents. Based on the HoQ analysis, it’s indicated that the highest rank of customer requirements (CRs) for a new walking frames/walkers design requirement was safety (rank 1), stable (rank 2), suitable for outdoor use (rank 3), user-friendly (rank 4) and comfort design (rank 5). Meanwhile, the highest rank of technical requirements (TRs) are adjustable height and width (rank 1), design two-level handle walking frames/walkers and design ‘R’ shape walking frames/walkers (rank 2 & 3), design with ABS castor wheel (rank 4) which provided functional accessories such as seat, bucket, and pocket (rank 5). The information acquired would be useful as references for further studies on the development of suitable walking frames/walkers for the Malaysian elderly in the future.