search.noResults

search.searching

dataCollection.invalidEmail
note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
DESIGN PHILOSOPHY AND THINKING


here daily to empower us to engage with a new day. Lack of sleep increases the risk of medical conditions including diabetes, heart disease, and obesity, and ultimately impacts on both mental health and life expectancy. Recent Rand Europe research2 informs us that lack of sleep costs the UK approximately £40 bn a year. What can we do to ameliorate the situation? Healthcare insights and evidence-based research need to be harnessed and embedded in our designs.


Remarkably, many solutions may have little or no cost impact. These include correct colourways, bed inclination, amber night-time illumination, bed/WC orientation, biophilic design, and curfew arrangements. More exotic solutions may include IBI’s own Med BedHead solution (an ‘in-home’ bedhead system that integrates diagnostic equipment, medication, and ‘connected support’ into domestic settings’, which IBI says ‘packages everything into a user-friendly, readily accessible unit that helps patients feel empowered to effectively monitor their health from home’), sensory doors, robotics, ‘smart floors’, LED WC seats, LED pillows, Axosuits (‘high-powered and affordable exoskeletons’), Toto WCs/bidets (from Japanese bathroom plumbing and kitchen product manufacturer, Toto), Ode emitters (a fragrance release system designed to stimulate appetite among people with dementia), and Tomek sanitary fittings. ‘For me sleep problems are a tell-tale sign of declining mental health. The worse I sleep, the less I feel able to cope during the day. The less I am coping, the worse I seem to sleep.’ – Mind, 2016.3


Digital mental health


Today, digital technology is central to our lives, and is assisting in the treatment of common mental health conditions. The use of electronic and communication technologies as a therapeutic physical and mental healthcare practice is beginning to gain traction. It is commonly referred to as telemedicine or eHealth, as well as telementalhealth, telepsychiatry, telebehavioural health, telehealth counselling, eMental Health, and digital mental health.


Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technology can help desensitise post-traumatic stress disorders, helping to develop coping techniques within the safety of the home. Mental health ‘apps’ – such as Calm, Moodnotes, Headspace, Pacifica, and Talkspace, meanwhile, have proven very effective for younger people more likely to suffer from stress and anxiety. IBI Group is presently developing VR on such projects as ‘Candlestick’ to address dementia conditions.


A potential sleep disruptor However, technology can also disrupt sleep, with its emitting blue light, intermittent sonic reminders, and necessity to remain connected ‘24/7’. It can also


THE NETWORK | OCTOBER 2019


Figure 8: The ‘essential dialogue between humans and the natural world’, and ‘the structures and building envelopes that interrupt this relationship’.


disrupt times of day when families traditionally gathered and shared key issues and concerns, and family members offered eachother supportive exchanges. Technology’s disruptive impact on family life, as well as sleep and relaxation, can be overcome with elements such as household management regimes, ‘curfews’ on use of technology, and night-time light filters etc.


Importantly, ‘smart home’ technology uses devices such as sensors to link appliances to the Internet of things, enabling them to be very simply controlled to address residents’ needs. Such ‘smart devices’ can range from thermostats, lighting controls, and energy monitors, to home security cameras and sensory monitoring.


Air pollution


There is much compelling evidence to highlight the links between indoor/outdoor pollution and mental health disorders. Recent research identifies an acceleration towards dementia, blocking the neural pathways in these conditions. It appears to quadruple the chances of depression, and increase psychosis and paranoia in adolescents and young people. Among the


principal pollutants produced by industrial, domestic, and traffic sources are: nitrogen oxide, particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, benzene, formaldehyde, and volatile organic compounds. Young children and older people with a weaker respiratory system will suffer most. Typical interventions and ‘solutions’ include firstly reducing the pollution source, as well as increasing external plantscape to filter the pollutants and increasing ambient oxygen; re-planning habitable spaces away from toxic streetscapes; introducing air purifiers; incorporating air quality air alarms, and reducing the use of fabrics and finishes that emit ‘gas’ into internal spaces. Who knows, tomorrow we may well park our electric cars in the living room.


The senses


The neurosciences inform us that neurochemistry is mostly altered by sensory input. On the other hand, we hear that depression alone can impact on our senses – such as ocular contrast perception. Anxiety can alter vision – by creating visual irregularities and light sensitivity, as well as decreasing pain tolerance. Indeed, depression alone can dull our sense of smell and taste, in turn leading to eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.


Figure 9: Our lives are driven by time ceaselessly measuring activities such as work, sleep, learning, travel, play, etc., which in turn can become a major daily stressor.


The environment is perceived through the main sensory receptors. This data is relayed to the brain, which in turn will affect individual physiological, emotional, psychological, and ultimately, physical, conditions. The five senses are sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. It is through understanding the true dimensions and limitations of these senses and sensibilities that designers can design with greater skill, and create truly responsive environments in the home. The senses are ‘tools’ through which we measure our environments. Once we truly understand the individual sensory receptors, we can begin to manage,


33


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36