With a staggering number of older adults globally juggling multiple medications, the risk of adverse drug interactions is a pressing concern. EasyMed, an innovative mobile application designed by Lingshuang Kong, Yumei Feng, and Shichao Wang, addresses this issue head-on. The app's AI-driven capabilities offer users a 93% accuracy rate in detecting drug-to-drug and drug-to-food interactions, a vital feature considering the potential severity of these interactions.
The ingenuity of EasyMed lies in its comprehensive database, which includes 200,000 drug-drug pairs and 330,000 drug-food pairs. This extensive coverage is a testament to the app's commitment to thoroughness and reliability. Beyond interaction checks, EasyMed enhances user experience with drug list management and educational articles, broadening its scope from a mere utility tool to an informative health companion.
DeepDDI, the AI computational framework behind EasyMed, is a marvel of modern technology. It processes compound structural information to predict interaction types, presenting them as human-readable sentences. This approach not only simplifies complex medical information but also makes it accessible to a wider audience, particularly senior users who are the primary beneficiaries of this application.
Accessibility and inclusivity are at the core of EasyMed's design philosophy. The design team, employing tools like Figma, meticulously crafted an interface that adheres to Usability Heuristics and Microsoft's Responsible AI principles. The result is an app that boasts legible fonts, high color contrast, and user-friendly interactions, ensuring that the technology is within reach for all users, regardless of age or tech-savviness.
EasyMed's operation is as intuitive as its design. Users are greeted by an all-in-one homepage that simplifies navigation to key features such as the drug interaction checker, food interaction checker, and personalized pill reminders. The app's Explore section offers a wealth of knowledge through articles and interactive quizzes, fostering an engaging learning environment about polypharmacy and overall wellness.
The journey of EasyMed, from conception in January 2023 to its completion in November 2023, is a narrative of meticulous research, user-centered design, and technological innovation. The app's recognition with a Bronze A' Design Award in 2024 underscores its significance as a tool that not only enhances the quality of life for its users but also exemplifies the harmonious fusion of art, science, and technology in the service of humanity.
Project Designers: Lingshuang Kong,Yumei Feng,Shichao Wang
Image Credits: All images and videos are created by EasyMed.
Project Team Members: Yumei Feng: Product Manager & Product Designer
Lingshuang Kong: Product Designer & UX Engineer
Shichao Wang: Product Designer
Project Name: EasyMed
Project Client: EasyMed