The world is maturate . By 2030 , nearly 20 percent of Americans will be over 65 . By 2050 , about a third of China will be over 60 . The same goes for many other highly-developed countries . Yet we do n’t spend intimately enough prison term imagine about how to make life easier for the elderly — despite the fact that all of us , if we ’re favorable , will go through it .
Ideo , the international design powerhouse known for its work on everything from industrial designing for Apple toin - automobile UI for Ford , also devotes a significant glob of its employee ’ metre to speculative projects like Designs On , a recurring serial that takes on a different topic every event — with design concepts ranging from product design to substructure .
The most recent topic ? Aging . Below , correspond out seven concepts stargaze up by gobs of designers in cities all over the world — you’ll be surprised how universal they terminate up being .

The Grey Mirror
accord toJosé Colucci , scientists have found that young the great unwashed are more likely to plan and preserve for retreat when they ’re confronted with faux - cured photos of themselves :
It is hard to convert young people to take actions now that will do good them in the future — even when they understand the welfare at an intellectual level . This col between notion and action is a endangerment to their financial well - being and health in later years .
The Gray Mirror is a tool that can be used to encourage immature mass to empathize with their future selves and to comprehend elderberry bush in a different light . The screen door show positive substance associated with aging and can be customized for the service being offer .

The Storybox
Within the next 35 years , a third of China ’s universe will be over 60 , according to designersHei Cheng , Nancy Xu , Gregory A. PerezandBosung Kim . “ What sort of stories and memories be in those geezerhood that we could learn from ? , ” the group asks . “ How much of that experience has already been forgotten ? ” move into the Storybox :
The Storybox bridges the opening between strong-arm personal objects from the retiring and practical computer storage for the future . A wooden box contains a curated set of small tokens of your life that can be pass by on to family member . Inside , a small digital touchscreen provides a way for family extremity to scan , apportion and view photos or films from your life . Record your thinking , stories and conversations straight into the box . An follow digital portal lets crime syndicate penis see and experience the upload items from anywhere . The Storybox trance a snapshot of China ’s history that could otherwise go undocumented and gives families a mode to share and celebrate their elders .
Trikka
Part footer , part velocipede , completely silly but also brilliant . Trikka , byMartin Meier , Franziska Mayer , David Mallard , Joel Derksenand Karl Jönsson , is a Bakefiets - trend walker for the get on wheeler :
Trikka help keep walking and bike a part of your main , everyday life . To minimize daily hurdle , Trikka has gravid cycle and can well switch between walking and cycling modes . Do n’t be surprised if a few youngsters enquire for a drive on your handlebar .
Overaging
What if a little elder care could be tacked onto existing base ? Accroding toDave Russelland James Moed , they can : Their marriage offer is to provide the aged with an opt - in servicing of dependent primary care provider who pop in for a Old World chat or a check - in while save a package :
Today home delivery is available for almost everything , but with speed the top priority , most messenger are paid to swing and go . There ’s no clip to help you with fiddly packaging , much less chat , or divvy up a cup of tea leaf .
Overdelivery provides client a few bit of care and conversation , paid for through a mix of recipients , transmitter , and even local governments . screen background - checked and working on behalf of multiple legal transfer services , our Overdeliverers are friendly and conversant , offering help with simple tasks like unpacking heavy box or figuring out how that new toaster ferment .

Pill Necklace
There ’s a thousand gadgets that attempt to solve the quandary of remembering your pills . Stina JonssonandRoss Lockwoodinvented another :
The Pill Necklace check that the daily medicament authorities is always with you and easily accessible . A unsubdivided splitter separates the pills into morning , luncheon , dinner , and dark . wear out the pill around the neck opening keeps home and friends in the grommet , give up them to remind their roll in the hay one , if necessary .
Instagran
sound screens are small . Instagran translates the social features many grandparents love onto a gravid screen , as designersYuni LeeandKaroline Kirchhübel Andersenexplain :
Instagran connects the multitude over - communion about their animation through Instagram with the mass most concerned in figure the output – grandparent ! This unsubdivided tool pushes a photo feed to the Instagran channel on an older relative ’s TV . Now , photos can curl in the living rooms of the offline generation eager to see what their preferent relation and friends are up to .
Pit Stop Posts
What about the elderly living in cities?IDEO Singaporehas a wide-eyed upgrade to street article of furniture that would make all the difference :
Pit Stop Posts is a line of street article of furniture project to help senior and those who are slower in pace find a place to rest in busybodied urban field . rest mail service that seem as walk stick allow elder a moment ’s pause or a place to hang up shopping bag while they support at traffic light source and sail public transportation systems .
CareBnB
Most undivided family homes , of necessity , become too big as the year go by . AtIDEO Singapore , a team proposed adapting Airbnb ’s business model to late - in - life-time homeowners :
Care BnB is an computer architecture , build up , and management service of process that convince your home into disjoined apartments so you’re able to age in the spot you love . live on in one ( go ahead , pluck the best for yourself ! ) , while leasing the other to a nursemaid or eldercare specialist , or simply to someone happy to check in on you from time to clock time . Care BnB manages everything from renovations to contract , so you may trade tenseness for a well-disposed neighbor and peace - of - nous .
you may see all 19 of the melodic theme over atDesigns On : Aging . H / tCo . Design .

DesignElderly
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