Granny Chic

Are the elderly the hot new design demographic? First came a small FOB item in the June issue of I.D. about SenseChair, a stylish prototype that uses 12 sensors to monitor vital signs, sleep patterns, and activity levels and rouses seniors who have been sitting too long in one position using motor, sound, and light alerts. (The same team of Carnegie Mellon researchers and designers also unveiled the “Hug” prototype, which uses heat, light, and sound signals to mimic human interaction.)