MY ROLE -
DESIGN TOOLS -
PROJECT TIMELINE -
UX, UI & Product Designer
Figma, Adobe Illustrator & Canva
5 Weeks | Late Feb - Early April
A device that blends haptics, audio cues, and navigation features for safer, more intuitive mobility.
GuideMate: Connected Walking Aid
INTRODUCTION
GuideMate is a mobile app and IoT-enabled smart walking stick designed to enhance mobility, safety, and independence for visually impaired individuals. By combining somatic design principles with connected digital features, the system offers real-time obstacle detection, GPS navigation, community support, and wellness tracking. The project originated as part of a somatic design course, evolving through multiple prototypes, from a simple vibration-and-light walking stick to a fully connected digital ecosystem.
Deliver multi-sensory feedback through haptic, auditory, and visual cues.
Improve spatial awareness and mobility for visually impaired users.
Enhance safety and navigation with IoT and GPS integration.
Foster community, motivation, and support through a connected companion app.
Transform the walking experience into one that is safer, more intuitive, and socially engaging.
OUR GOAL
We conducted secondary research to understand mobility challenges and evaluate existing assistive technologies. We also studied somatic design principles to explore how the body responds to multisensory cues.
Auditory cues support situational awareness without requiring vision.
Increasing vibration intensity helps signal proximity to obstacles.
Integrated lighting improves nighttime visibility and user safety.
Users desire community features and activity tracking for motivation.
RESEARCH
KEY INSIGHTS
Explored pain points such as unreliable obstacle detection, difficulty navigating at night, and lack of social engagement.
How might we design a smart walking stick and companion app that improves safety, independence, and social well-being?
GPS-enabled navigation
Vibration-based obstacle detection
LED visibility system
Social and health-focused app features
Low-Fidelity: Paper models, pool noodles, LEDs, vibration sounds
Mid-Fidelity: Clay handle with haptics, Bluetooth module, speaker integration
High-Fidelity: GuideMate app UI featuring navigation, SOS alerts, health tracking, and team walk features
DESIGN THINKING PROCESS
Empathise 🤝
Define 📝
Ideate 💡
Prototype 🛠️
PHYSICAL PROTOTYPE
COLOUR PALETTE
FINAL PROTOTYPE
GuideMate demonstrates how somatic design, IoT, and user-centered thinking can come together to create a meaningful assistive technology. Future steps include usability testing with visually impaired individuals, ergonomic refinement, enhanced accessibility features, and collaboration with mobility and health organizations to bring GuideMate into real-world use.
FINAL IMPACT