Virgilio

Virgilio

Virgilio

Hospital wayfinding system

2024
Academic project
Elsa Costamante
Giordano Urettini
Taohui Cheng
Lorenzo Castagna
Andrea Lo Curto
Giorgio Guí

Virgilio is a phygital product system designed to improve wayfinding in hospitals, with a focus on supporting elderly patients. This system of devices was created to offer a more intuitive, accessible solution that eases navigation and enhances the overall experience.

UX Design Award website

Research

Traditional signage and maps often fail to meet the users needs. This can lead to confusion, stress and increased demand on hospital staff and volunteers.

With Europe's aging population, this challenge is only expected to grow.

Problems

Through desk and fields research we gathered three main issues that our system should've addressed.

Lack of representation

The controls are not often well integrated within the vehicle and instrument cluster. Some buttons lack functions and the actions performed on the wheel are not reflected on the instrument cluster.

Enhance participation

Vehicle graphics are often counterintuitive and can take some time to learn. Overly complex visuals and effects can distract the driver and affect focus.

Ensure engagement

Most vehicles analysed lack the possibility to customise the view of the instrument cluster and the controls on the steering wheel.

Problems

Through desk and fields research we gathered three main issues that our system should've addressed.

Accessibility

Patients can find themselves in a situation of environment induced disability if the hospital space does not offer suitable accessibility.

Cognitive overload

It's important to take into consideration how elderly and fragile people might experience the hospital space.

Emotional distress

Hospitals often carry a great emotional burden. Hospital visits can be stressful and demanding.

System

Virgilio is composed of three integrated elements:

-Interactive map totems that display the full route.

-A handheld device equipped with RFID and GPS, enabling personalized route guidance in the hospital areas.

-Dynamic signboards that guide users through indoor spaces more intuitively.

Testing

We conducted several testing trials in order to iteratively improve the Virgilio interface and the overall experience. In order to do so we simulated the hospital visit and gathered useful insights.

Interface

Ensuring the UI was accessible and easy to use for a wide range of users was a key priority, supported by thorough testing.

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