Voice Design for Healthcare Solutions
Synopsis
This project focuses on the design and development of a Voice User Interface (VUI) for a healthcare AI bot, aimed at enhancing user experience in hospital, emergency, and general healthcare contexts. The goal was to create natural, efficient, and clear interactions between users and the AI, particularly in stressful and urgent healthcare scenarios. Through this project, I demonstrated how voice technology can improve user access to essential healthcare information and services.
Problem Statement
In emergency healthcare situations, individuals may be in a state of panic, stress, or discomfort, making it difficult for them to effectively interact with traditional interfaces such as touchscreens or buttons. Thus, designing a voice interaction system that can provide quick and accurate information in these critical situations was crucial.
Role and Responsibilities
-
Creation of a voice persona that is empathetic, authoritative, and calming, with an ability to engage in both medical and non-medical contexts.
-
Dialog Flow Engineering by developing precise, task-oriented conversation flows optimized for emergency scenarios, integrating decision trees that prioritize immediate user needs while minimizing cognitive load.
-
Designing the voice persona to be calm, empathetic, and authoritative.
-
Developing conversation flows optimized for healthcare and emergency contexts.
Scenario 01: Scheduling a Health checkup
User: Hi, I’d like to schedule an online healthcare check-up.
Medical Personnel: Of course! What type of check-up are you looking for?
User: Just a general check-up, nothing specific.
Medical Personnel: Got it. What date and time works best for you?
User: How about tomorrow afternoon?
Medical Personnel: Tomorrow afternoon works. How does 2 PM sound?
User: That’s perfect.
Medical Personnel: Great, I’ve scheduled your general check-up for tomorrow at 2 PM. You’ll receive a link to join the online appointment.
User: Thank you!
Medical Personnel: You’re welcome! We’ll see you tomorrow at 2 PM.
Scenario 02: Checking Doctor Availability Hours
User: What are the general doctor’s hours this week?
AI Bot: The general doctor is available Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, and Saturday, 10 AM to 2 PM. The clinic is closed on Sundays.
User: Can I book an appointment during those hours?
AI Bot: Absolutely! Let me know your preferred date and time, and I’ll assist you with the booking.
User: I’ll check and get back to you. Thanks!
AI Bot: You’re welcome! Let me know whenever you’re ready to book.
Scenario 03: Buying Medicines Online
User: Hi, I need to buy Tylenol. Can you help me?
AI Bot: Of course! Are you looking for regular Tylenol or extra strength?
User: Extra strength.
AI Bot: Got it. Would you like to order it online or pick it up from a store
User: Order it online.
AI Bot: I found some options for delivery. Should I add it to your cart?
User: Yes, please.
AI Bot: All set! Your Tylenol Extra Strength is ready for checkout.
Scenario 04: Emergency Help Conversation
User: I’m having an anxiety attack. I need help!
AI Bot: I’m here to help. Let’s start with your breathing. Breathe in through your nose for four seconds, hold it, and breathe out slowly for six seconds. Let’s repeat that a few times.
User: Okay, I’m trying.
AI Bot: You’re doing great. Now let’s relax your muscles. Clench your fists for five seconds, then slowly release. Shrug your shoulders to your ears, hold, and let them drop. Try it with other areas, like your legs or jaw.
User: Alright, that’s helping.
AI Bot: That’s great to hear. Keep going at your own pace. You’re safe, and this feeling will pass. Let me know if you need anything else
User: I feel a little better
AI Bot: Great! Keep doing it until you feel normal and like yourself again
User: Yes
Scenario 05: Heart Attack Prevention Instructional Guide
First, call emergency services immediately. While waiting for help, try to stay calm and have the person chew or swallow an aspirin, if they’re not allergic. If you loses consciousness and stop breathing, begin CPR—press hard and fast in the center of the chest. Keep doing CPR until help arrives. Encourage slow, deep breaths to reduce anxiety. Next, try to keep the person in a comfortable position, preferably sitting upright, as this can help ease the strain on their heart.
Creating Emphasis, Adjusting Pronunciation and Adding Pauses
​
-
Research & Voice Persona Development: I conducted user research to understand key healthcare scenarios and designed a voice persona that is both calming and professional, with a focus on clarity and empathy.
-
Conversation Flow & Prototyping: I mapped out conversation flows based on common healthcare queries (e.g., finding departments, emergency protocols) and created prototypes using Amazon Blueprints to test voice interactions. This included integrating decision trees for urgent queries and context-switching capabilities for multi-turn conversations.
Design Initiative
My Learnings
-
Effective Speech Recognition in Stressful Scenarios:
Optimising ASR models for healthcare emergencies was crucial for real-world application. -
Dynamic Dialogue Management:
Context-aware conversation flows helped deliver efficient interactions while maintaining accuracy.
"90% of test users found the assistant helpful, with a positive response to its calming tone and clear instructions"