Lona
Lona offers people who feel lonely in old age a way out of social isolation.
A Bachelor’s project by André Fritzinger and Jeannine Krämer
7th semester, 2019
Supervisors: Prof. Andrea Krajewski, Prof. Garrit Schaap and Andreas Schindler
Hello, we’re Lona!
Lona is a system designed to help older people re-engage more fully in social life through regular motivational messages. Its aim is to show people who feel lonely a way out of social isolation and a lack of motivation. It also makes it easier to maintain existing relationships, for example through voice messages.
The Lona Ambassador
The aim of the Ambassador is to encourage people to become active again through what are known as ‘activation messages’. This involves encouraging users to engage constructively with a particular issue, to establish contacts with family and friends on their own initiative, or to take part in suggested events.
Every morning at 7 am, it prints out a new message. This contains a ‘Good morning’ greeting, the weather forecast for the day and a suggestion for an activity, tailored to the weather conditions. A small illustration serves as a reminder of the suggested activity throughout the day and remains in the display window even after the message has been removed.
If an event has been planned and scheduled for the day, a reminder of this is also included in the ‘Good morning’ greeting. Relatives can set up these events in the Lona app so that they are displayed on the desired date.
The Lona telephone
The Lona phone allows users to call other people by inserting a frame containing a contact slip.
Another feature is the ability to receive and send voice messages. An incoming voice message is printed out by the Lona Ambassador and, just like the contact cards, can be placed in a frame and then inserted into the phone. This automatically plays back the message, and you can then record your own voice message to send to that person.
In addition, Lona offers a unique opportunity to make new acquaintances through the ‘Just have a chat’ card. Anyone fancying a chat simply inserts this card into the Lona phone and is then given contacts from the Lona community that have been printed.
Some of the morning activation messages contain a barcode, which allows the user to access further information. The ambassador provides this information when you place that section of the message into one of the enclosed frames and insert it into the Lona phone.
Frames and their storage
Contacts and activation messages with barcodes issued by the Ambassador can be stored and displayed in the frames. Using the frames also helps to prevent creases, which can render the barcode unreadable and thus hinder contact with the people in question.
Lona is designed to encourage users to nurture not only new acquaintances but also existing relationships with friends and family. When stored in the frames, the frames filled with contacts or messages are displayed much like picture frames and subtly remind users of the Lona system that they are not alone and can make use of a wide range of ways to connect with others.
There is space for three frames side by side in each row, and up to five frames can be stacked one behind the other. This gives the user the option to store up to 30 frames. On the side, there is a compartment in which additional messages can be stored.
The Lona app
The app for family members allows them to leave a message for their loved ones in the form of text, a picture or a voice message, or to create reminders. These reminders are then displayed to the user on the relevant day in the ‘Good morning’ message. For example, it could be a reminder about an invitation to a granddaughter’s bachelorette party or a note that it’s the son-in-law’s birthday that day.
To contact a Lona user via the app, you need that person’s contact card. To add the contact to the app, you must scan the barcode in the Lona app using your mobile phone’s camera. Once it has been recognised, you can contact the user.
The Lona system also enables the owner to get in touch with their loved ones via the Lona phone. This allows them to call them and send them voice messages. Their relatives then receive these in the Lona app.
