EDAA
A connected health companion concept designed to support early detection of cognitive decline through behavior based insights, everyday assistance,
and privacy conscious interaction design.
Project Type
Sixth Bachelor's Semester
Timeline
Mar 2023 - Jul 2023
Team
Agnes Kloos, Alice Sopp, Daniel Auspurg, Evripidis Lalissidis
Problem
Growing older often comes with the fear of losing independence. In the case of cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer’s, this risk is especially difficult to address because early signs are subtle and often hidden in everyday routines. They rarely become visible during short medical appointments, which means important changes are often recognised too late. What is missing is not awareness alone, but a way to make these small shifts visible early, support timely action, and help people maintain autonomy for as long as possible.
Solution
EDAA addresses this challenge through an intelligent health companion designed for daily life. Combining a main station, a sensor kit, and AI supported behavior analysis, the system observes patterns in movement, household activity, and user interaction over time. It identifies unusual changes, translates them into understandable health related insights, and supports early action through reminders, guidance, and optional data sharing with trusted relatives, caregivers, or medical professionals while keeping control in the hands of the user.
The value of EDAA lies in making invisible changes visible before they become critical. By turning everyday behavior into meaningful insight, the concept supports earlier awareness, more timely medical attention, and a stronger sense of confidence in daily life. It creates a form of preventive support that is not intrusive, but integrated into familiar routines and designed to preserve independence for longer.
More Details
EDAA emerged from the question of how design can help preserve quality of life in older age when cognitive decline often develops quietly and remains unnoticed for too long. Research into Alzheimer’s and other age related conditions showed that early signs are rarely dramatic. Instead, they appear in subtle changes within everyday behavior, making them difficult to detect in traditional medical settings. This made early recognition and the preservation of autonomy the central focus of the project.
The aim was to translate this challenge into a meaningful concept for daily life. EDAA combines connected sensors, artificial intelligence, and an accessible interface to build a long term understanding of routines and behavioral patterns. By monitoring interactions with household devices, water consumption, movement in the home, and engagement with the system itself, it can identify unusual changes that may indicate cognitive decline or other health related issues. These observations are translated into reminders, prompts, and health related information that support users in understanding their condition and acting at an earlier stage.
Because the system works with highly sensitive personal data, privacy and control were treated as essential design principles from the start. EDAA was conceived as a non internet connected device that interacts only with its main user. Any further access for relatives, caregivers, or medical professionals remains fully user controlled. Developed in an interdisciplinary team, the project combined concept work, product design, and screen design to create a health companion that is empathetic, preventative, and grounded in everyday life.
