Design thinking social loneliness in the time of Covid-19 pandemic

• Published in: AIP Conference Proceedings
• Main Author: Gumowska A.; Abidin S.Z.; Zbiec M.
• Format: Conference paper
• Language: English
• Published: American Institute of Physics 2024
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85189356751&doi=10.1063%2f5.0148581&partnerID=40&md5=5236ff8e4bee3bed141ae337ca79987b

This paper describes the idea and attempts to design virtual reality glasses to improve the quality of life of people during a COVID-19 pandemic, when isolation is an inseparable element of lifestyle. Commonly used communicators are becoming insufficient. The objective of the study is to investigate how engineer create objects, applications, places that will bring everyday life closer and feel the lack of closeness to another person as little as possible. Observation on engineer developing product through design protocol analysis has been used as a methodology. Moreover, the five stages of Design Thinking model proposed by Hasso-Plattner Institute of Design, Stanford (d.school) has been used as references. During the observation, the ongoing technological challenge for engineer is to look for a solution/idea that will cause an even deeper immersion into the reality of virtual human relationship, which will be resemble a real meeting. The results indicate people to make proxy communication, find solutions based upon a problem-solving strategy that will help people not to feel lonely during the COVID-19 pandemic, focus on something what can will let people be closer and let people have fun during pandemic. © 2024 AIP Publishing LLC.