By Yiler Huang

This semester, we are learning what kind of changes a human body will face when getting older. This information would be helpful if we are trying to make old people's life easier. In order to get the informations we need, we made an old person simulation suit that helps people to feel how it would feel like to be old. We also designed some tasks that simulate an old person's daily life. This time, we put on the suit on ourselves and experience what our volunteers will feel.

The suit could simulate aged body parts including eyes, ears, core, back, legs, and arms. The way we get the data needed is to do some tasks an average old person might face everyday. They are walking stairs, and catching buses. After taking on the suit, the most significant change was the weight on my legs. I could feeling clearly that my legs were falling down faster when I lift them up, and it is also hard to lift my feet up. The glasses were also affecting the experience a lot, I felt like I would fall on a stair if I don't focus on each steps focus enough.

After finishing all the tasks, I think there were a few ways to reduce the physical challenges when walking on stairs and catching a bus. When walking on stairs, I think it would be a lot more safer if the old person is holding the side of the stair or a wall. This would make them easier to balance their body and wouldn't get fall. If they really fall, they should lean against the wall so they don't fall off the stair. For catching buses, I think a good way would be holding a stick or any kind of long object and support your body while walking. This could also make they easier to balance, and walk faster so they could catch the bus on time. Finally, I think this suit could really make people feel they are weak and heavy, and it could provide decent feeling of being an old person.