The project we designed is called the "Board Game Matcher." Our inspiration came from observing that elderly individuals often find themselves alone in retirement, with their children unable to accompany them regularly. Many seniors are not adept at using electronic devices, which limits their opportunities to expand their social circles. Therefore, we thought of designing this product to assist them.
If this product is fortunate enough to be deployed in communities and the homes of the elderly, when they feel bored and want to play mahjong, they can use the matcher at home to select the type of game they wish to play. The screen will then display the current number of players for that game at the community center, and the information will be sent online to the community center. Once the community center's machine receives the command, the lights for the seats in the activity room will illuminate, and the matcher at home will also show the corresponding room number at the community center, making it easier for seniors to identify their seats. This design provides a method and means for elderly individuals to engage more conveniently and quickly in recreational activities.
We believe this product embodies the theme of technology for aging well. Technological innovation should not be limited to young people; it should also be accessible and learnable by seniors. Nowadays, there are various social media platforms and online games, but for elderly individuals, learning how to use them can seem like an impossible task due to generational gaps that make it increasingly difficult for them to keep up with younger people and enjoy the benefits that technology brings. Thus, our original intention in designing this product is to allow seniors to enjoy the dividends of technology as well. The Board Game Matcher can help them find other lonely seniors, enabling them to come together for recreational activities where playing a game can lead to making new friends.