Research On Design Of Multi-functional Underwear For The Elderly Based On Empathy Design Method

With the increasing global aging population,elderly people have increasingly diverse functional demands for underwear.The physical data and psychological needs of elderly people have specific requirements when it comes to design compared to middle-aged and young people.Empathy design,as a branch of user experience design,can consider problems from the perspective of elderly users and propose solutions to meet the requirements of multi-functional underwear design for elderly people.This article introduces the application of empathy design in the design of multi-functional underwear for the elderly.Firstly,the relevant theories of empathy design are studied,and the categories,characteristics,brand status,and development trends of multi-functional underwear for the elderly are analyzed and examined from an empathetic perspective.The existing multi-functional underwear is analyzed through the empathetic perspective,seeking the entry points where empathy design can be applied in the design of multi-functional underwear for the elderly.Secondly,the gradual steps of emotional resonance in empathy design are used as a starting point to form an empathy design method and process suitable for the design of multi-functional underwear for the elderly.The characteristics of the elderly population are analyzed from the perspective of empathy design,and the researchers conduct empathetic research on elderly users from observation,guidance,and immersion levels to understand the empathic needs of the elderly regarding underwear.The empathic need indicators are established through the Analytic Hierarchy Process,and the importance of the indicators is calculated.Based on user needs,the Quality Function Deployment method is introduced to map functional elements and to conduct matrix analysis of "user needs-functional requirements-functional elements",which determines the design priorities of multi-functional underwear.Thirdly,the empathic characteristics of multi-functional underwear for elderly people are analyzed on three levels of empathy design methods,and design strategies guided by empathy design are proposed according to the results of the theory research and importance analysis of functional elements,providing guidance for design practices.Finally,the design positioning of multi-functional underwear is determined based on the empathy design strategies and functional element analysis.The design practice of multi-functional underwear for the elderly is completed based on empathy design methods from aspects such as color,fabric,and style structure,and the results are verified using the Likert scale.This study investigates the functional requirements of multi-functional underwear for the elderly through surveys and interviews,emphasizing safety,comfort,and ease of wearing and removal.The Analytic Hierarchy Process and Quality Function Deployment are introduced to conduct functional design from the perspective of empathy design for color,fabric,and style structure.By optimizing and selecting visible fiber materials in the market,flame retardant fabrics that consider both safety and comfort are developed.The user-friendly structural design also makes it easier for the elderly to wear and remove multi-functional underwear.The feasibility evaluation of practical interactive functions,safety and comfort functions,local detail functions,and styling appearance functions yields an average score of 4.1 or above for each functional dimension.This study provides theoretical and practical reference value for the application of empathy design in the design of multi-functional underwear for the elderly.