CalmER
A calming companion app for emergency room patients, reducing anxiety through information transparency and personalized support.
ROLE
UX Designer
TIMELINE
6 weeks
TEAM
6 members (PM, Designer, Analyst, Engineer)
TOOLS
Figma, Miro
Overview
CalmER is a mobile companion app designed to support older adults during long and stressful ER waits. By combining real-time hospital system integration, AI-powered emotional support, and instant family connection, CalmER transforms waiting from an anxious experience into one that feels safer, clearer, and more human.
This project was created during the Michigan Tech Innovation Jam, where our team explored how digital tools can make emergency care more emotionally humane — especially for vulnerable populations like older adults who often wait alone.
✦ DESIGN CHALLENGE
Balancing Empathy with Operational Reality
Emergency rooms operate under strict constraints that shape every design decision:
What We Can't Control
- • Medical timelines are unpredictable
- • Staff attention is limited
- • Precise ETAs create false expectations
- • AI cannot provide medical advice
What We Can Design For
- • Stage-based progress instead of countdowns
- • AI as interpreter, not authority
- • Proactive reassurance vs. reactive updates
- • Connection without adding staff burden
Core insight: We're not designing to shorten wait times — we're designing to reduce the emotional cost of waiting through clarity, calmness, and connection.
✦ UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM
Long ER waits are emotionally harmful and operationally inefficient
Patient Pain Points
- • Average ER wait time: 6.5+ hours
- • Unclear medical updates and confusing environment
- • High sensory overload (noise and lights)
- • Anxiety from being alone and not knowing what's next
- • Embarrassed to keep asking for help
Hospital Challenges
- • 33 million senior ER visits yearly (21% of all visits)
- • "Left without being seen" rate nearly doubled to 2.1%
- • Frequent patient complaints and low satisfaction scores
- • Staff burnout from constant anxiety-related calls
- • Overnight stays increase mortality risk by ~40%
Meet Mary
74-year-old retired teacher who visits the ER alone for sudden symptoms. She feels anxious, lonely, and disoriented in the confusing hospital environment. Nurses are busy, and she's unsure what's happening next or when she'll be seen.
Meet David
Son living 2 hours away who receives a call that his mother is in the ER. He's worried and frustrated because he can't be there and has no way to check on her status or provide comfort remotely.
✦ RESEARCH INSIGHTS
What We Learned From Users
Seniors want reassurance more than information
User interviews revealed that older adults often feel embarrassed to repeatedly ask staff for updates. They need gentle reminders that they haven't been forgotten.
Uncertainty amplifies anxiety
Not knowing what's happening next or why they're waiting creates more stress than the wait itself. Transparency is therapeutic.
Family connection is critical for emotional safety
Many seniors arrive alone. Being able to see and hear a familiar voice — even briefly — significantly reduces feelings of isolation and fear.
Accessibility isn't optional
Large fonts, simple navigation, and voice interaction are essential. Visual and cognitive impairments are common in this age group.
✦ EXPERIENCE PRINCIPLES
The 3C Framework: Clarity, Calmness, Connection
Every design decision in CalmER is guided by these three interconnected principles.
Clarity
Transparent information reduces uncertainty. Clear language, visible progress, and predictable interactions help seniors understand what's happening.
"When I know what's next, I feel less afraid."
Calmness
Visual rhythm, soft colors, breathing guides, and gentle AI interactions create an emotional environment that counteracts ER stress.
"It feels like someone is there with me."
Connection
Instant family video calls, empathetic AI, and access to social workers ensure no patient feels forgotten or alone.
"I can see my son's face. That helps more than anything."
✦ DESIGN SYSTEM
Building for Emotional Safety and Accessibility
Typography & Hierarchy
Font sizes range from 16px to 28px to ensure readability for older adults with vision impairments. Clear heading hierarchy and generous line spacing reduce cognitive load.
Color & Emotion
We chose a soft blue palette to evoke calmness and trust. Blue is associated with safety and medical care, while avoiding overly bright or saturated colors that can feel alarming in a healthcare context.
Primary Blue
Light Blue
Coral Tint
Accessibility Checklist
- ✓ WCAG AA compliant color contrast (4.5:1 minimum)
- ✓ Touch targets minimum 44x44px for easy tapping
- ✓ Voice interaction for hands-free use
- ✓ Screen reader support with semantic HTML and ARIA labels
- ✓ Clear visual feedback for all interactive elements
- ✓ Simple navigation with no more than 3 taps to any feature
✦ THE SOLUTION
To make every emergency room not only efficient, but emotionally humane
CalmER provides three core values: Real-Time Transparency & Guidance, Reduce Anxiety & Provide Emotional Support, and Seamless Family Connection.
AI-Powered Emotional Companion
- • AI trained with medical and psychological knowledge
- • Calming and human-like conversations
- • Emotional support during long and stressful waits
- • Voice and text interaction options
Smart Hospital Sync & Report Assistant
- • Integrates with hospital systems
- • Live updates on triage and test results
- • Explains medical terms in simple language
- • Transparent ER timeline and wait estimates
Instant Family Link
- • Instant voice/video calls between patients and family
- • Real-time status updates for family members
- • Keeping loved ones connected throughout care
- • Peace of mind for remote family members
Resource Hub
- • Direct access to breathing guide and mindfulness tools
- • ER knowledge and social worker information
- • Local community and support resources
- • Turn waiting into a grounding experience
✦ KEY SCREENS
Design Highlights
Home Page: Clarity = Calmness
Transform the chaotic ER entry into a guided, human-centered experience.
Design Goals
- • Reduce uncertainty about wait times
- • Provide immediate emotional reassurance
- • Clearly show what happens next
Core Elements
- • Check-in confirmation message
- • Transparent ER timeline with progress
- • Quick access to AI companion and family call
- • Local hospital resource links
AI Companion: Empathy = Calmness
A compassionate, low-friction interaction designed for emotional support.
Design Goals
- • Provide emotional support without judgment
- • Offer distraction and calming techniques
- • Explain medical terms in simple language
Core Elements
- • Voice and text interaction options
- • Day/night adaptive color mode
- • Emotional sensing and empathetic responses
- • Direct access to breathing guide
Family Call: Connection = Comfort
Instant family connection that reduces isolation and provides emotional safety.
Design Goals
- • Reduce feelings of isolation
- • Allow family to provide emotional support
- • Keep loved ones informed in real-time
Core Elements
- • One-tap voice/video calling
- • Live wait-time display for family members
- • Large, accessible call controls
- • Status updates shared automatically
Resource Hub & Settings
Empowering patients with information, support resources, and personalization options.
Resource Hub
- • Breathing exercises and mindfulness guides
- • ER knowledge and FAQs
- • Social worker contact information
- • Local community support resources
Settings
- • Dark mode toggle for nighttime comfort
- • Text size adjustment (16-28px)
- • Voice interaction preferences
- • Emergency contact management
✦ IMPACT
Creating Value for All Stakeholders
CalmER addresses a systemic problem affecting 33 million seniors annually by transforming ER waiting from a source of anxiety into an experience that feels safer, clearer, and more human.
For Patients
- ✓ Reduced anxiety through transparency and AI companionship
- ✓ Stay connected to family despite physical distance
- ✓ Better understanding of medical process and wait times
- ✓ Feel remembered and cared for during long waits
For Family Members
- ✓ Real-time updates on loved one's status
- ✓ Provide emotional support remotely via video call
- ✓ Peace of mind when unable to be physically present
- ✓ Better informed for care decisions
For Hospitals
- ✓ Reduced staff burden from repeated questions
- ✓ Improved patient satisfaction scores
- ✓ Lower "left without being seen" rates
- ✓ Decreased staff burnout and emotional fatigue
"Technology should support people during vulnerable moments when reassurance matters more than features."
CalmER demonstrates that by combining transparency (clarity), emotional support (calmness), and family connection, we can make emergency care not just efficient, but emotionally humane.
Reflection
This project fundamentally changed how I think about designing for vulnerable populations. I learned that emotional design isn't decoration — it's a functional requirement when your users are scared, confused, or in pain.
Three product decisions that shaped CalmER:
Stage-based timeline instead of countdown
We tested showing "estimated wait: 2 hours" vs "You're in: Triage Complete → Lab Results Pending". The second reduced anxiety by replacing unpredictable time with predictable process.
AI as companion, not doctor
We deliberately positioned the AI as emotional support, not medical advisor. Its role is to normalize waiting and explain terms, not diagnose — maintaining trust while avoiding risk.
One-tap family connection
Instead of building messaging or status dashboards, we prioritized video calling. Research showed that seeing a familiar face had more impact than any amount of text updates.
Key Learnings
Clarity creates calmness
Every design decision — from font size to color choice to interaction pattern — either reduces or amplifies anxiety. Transparency about wait times and clear visual hierarchy aren't "nice to have" features; they're therapeutic interventions.
Accessibility is empathy made tangible
Large touch targets, voice interaction, and WCAG compliance aren't checkboxes. They're how we show respect for people with vision impairments, motor challenges, and cognitive load during crisis moments.
AI accelerates, humans decide
ChatGPT helped me explore faster, but deciding what feels safe vs. overwhelming for a 74-year-old in the ER required human empathy. The 3C framework (Clarity, Calmness, Connection) became my north star for filtering AI suggestions.
Reassurance matters more than features
Seniors don't need more information — they need to feel remembered, safe, and connected. Simple features like "You haven't been forgotten" messages or one-tap family calls have disproportionate emotional impact.
If I could continue this project, I would conduct usability testing with actual seniors in ER waiting rooms and work with hospitals to pilot the AI companion with real-time system integration. The biggest design challenge ahead would be ensuring the AI tone remains empathetic and culturally appropriate across diverse patient populations.
CalmER taught me that great UX for vulnerable users requires going beyond usability into humanity — designing not just for tasks, but for dignity, comfort, and emotional safety.