Age-appropriate Elevator Control Pan

Against the backdrop of vigorous urbanization and aging population, this elevator panel aims to help the elderly take the elevator more smoothly in public buildings, residences, etc. The designer reached the conclusion of people’s physiological and mental demands by anthropological study tools and accordingly directed the product design towards the elderly.

The design well balances aesthetic demands and practical demands. The explanatory marks which are used together with lighting to remind users of floors and the operation status of the elevator were redesigned and magnified to scale for easy reading. The display screen also adopts a brand-new design, with which the direction arrow appears above the floor number to show the elevator going up while appears under the floor number to show the elevator going down. Under the main screen sets the sub screen for showing the operation status of the elevator. These clear marks work effectively to relieve elderly people’s anxiety about the unknown. As for buttons, the designer makes larger and concave buttons with physical feedback to avoid mistaken touch. Moreover, as the elderly walk slowly, the hall call panel is added with a function which prolongs opening and reminds users of the seconds left before closing the door by a progress bar set on the sub screen .

The floor buttons inside the elevator give users feedback by lighting. When users touch the button, the floor number and the dot above the floor number will light up for feedback to users. The lighting strips at two sides of the button move to show the present floor, so that the elderly won’t suffer neck pains by raising their heads to observe. The opening button is larger than the closing button for visual distinction and both of them are accompanied with literal explanation above. The SOS button is specially fixed beside the dot-matrix intercom for easy understanding, gradual habits cultivation and continuous operation of the elderly.