Project 6
Mind Shelter
In this design, I focused on addressing the mental health issues of homeless people. I designed a way for homeless people to survive with their "companion animals" - stray pets - to support them physically and mentally. To do this, I designed a whole system of services, and a product to support the service.
TEAM
1 UX Designer
ROLE
All Work
TIMELINE
Oct. 2022 - Dec. 2022
TOOLS
Rhinoceros, Keyshot
Proposal
Problem
Key Objective
On any given night in the United States, 1 in 200 people are homeless. Whatever the reason, the negative results of having too many homeless people are huge. Most homeless people face very serious psychological problems. For the government, homeless people is still a huge challenge.
Helping homeless with mental health issues
Discover
Reasons to be homeless
Poverty
Homelessness and poverty are inextricably linked. The poor are unable to spend their living expenses.
Unemployment
Many are underemployed at wages that can’t sustain them. Layoffs and job cuts leave them in desperate circumstances.
Family Breakdown
Friends and family are no longer able or willing to help, leaving the homeless man or woman very much alone.
Housing Crisis
A lack of affordable housing and the limited scale of housing assistance programs have contributed to homelessness.
Substance Use
In the absence of appropriate treatment, it may doom addiction's chances of getting housing once on the streets.
Mental/Body Health Issues
Approximately 16% of the single adult homeless population suffers from some form of severe and persistent mental illness.
Psychological trauma
Depressive & Loneliness
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When homeless people stay in an independent environment for a long time, depression and loneliness will become worse, even adjustment disorder emerged.
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93% homeless people had a history of trauma.
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81% homeless people having experienced multiple traumatic events.
Fractious & Vigilant
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They see or even experience instances of violence, day in and day out, so they become excessive self-defensive and unwilling to trust others.
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72.2% had been physically assaulted.
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13,000 homeless people dies on the street every year.
Shame
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Some of homeless people show their expressions and body language with shame about their actions when talking to other people.
Interview
Homeless people
"I’m trying to protect my little belongings and my doggie, and find somewhere to sleep and exist. At the moment I’m just trying to survive, I watch my back 24/7. So I often feel vigilant and depressive."
"I can't take my dog to the inspection, because those bullying places will not accept us."
"There’s a lot of shelters that I’m excluded from since I have a dog. It’s my fault."
Conclusion
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More than 80% of homeless meet the criteria for at least one psychiatric diagnosis, and they need mental health treatment.
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Stigmatization of stray dog and the dog owner.
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About 39.9% of homeless people are unsheltered, and they need protection of personal safety and property security, and basic housing.
Design
Target
Homeless people who have the pets
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Make they and their pet ’s life better
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Pets can be treated by veterinarians
Homeless people who don't have the pets
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To be loved and accompanied once again
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Improve their mental health
Stray pets
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Being well taken care
Homeless shelter & Stray pets shelter
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Reduce the pressure of rescuing stray animals and homeless people
Wearable detective device
HD Display
Camera
Retractable Loop
Solar panels
As a bracelet, this product is worn on a person's wrist; as a collar, this product is worn around the pet's neck. To make it easier to wear, the buckles on both sides of the product can be opened.
On the smart collar, there is the name of the pet and the shelter‘s name from which the pet came. It is worth mentioning that there is no camera or positioning system on the bracelet to protect the privacy of the homeless. The purpose of the bracelet is simply to view the location and condition of the pet.