Design Practice of Activity Toys for Older Adults

Design Requirement Extraction and Prototyping via Rough Set Analysis

Abstract

This study aims to clarify design requirements for activity toys intended to support healthcare for older adults and to verify these requirements through prototyping. Sixty-five toys, including existing activity toys, newly selected candidates, and Good Toy Award winners, were analyzed using rough set decision rule analysis. The analysis revealed key design attributes such as finger use, sensory stimulation, rich color schemes, wooden materials, and game-based interaction with multiple players. Based on these findings, a prototype activity toy was developed to encourage motor skills, cognition, and social interaction among older adults.