Amulet

Rethinking AI Companionship for Older Adults

Project Background

We partnered with the TeddyBot team—now called Amulet—to explore whether older adults would adopt their AI companion product. Initially designed as a plush toy with a medallion, our research uncovered a key insight: older adults valued independence and dignity and didn’t want to be treated like children.

My Role
User Research
Stakeholder Interviews
Research Synthesis
Project Coordination

Advisor
Adriana Valdez Young

Team
3 Product Designers

Project Type
Internship

Timeline
May'24 - Jul '24

Would They Use It?

We talked to older adults and caregivers to understand if TeddyBot could actually earn a place in their lives—and what would need to change if it couldn’t.

What We Heard → What Changed

Our research didn’t just inform the product—it helped redirect it. Here’s how insights turned into decisions:

🗣️ What We Heard

“If my brother saw the teddy bear, that would be the end of it. He would say, ‘Don’t treat me like a baby.’ That’s a big challenge.”

- Retired Senior

✅ What Changed

🧸
The plush toy was removed.

After hearing this and similar feedback, the team decided to move away from the soft toy format to avoid perceptions of infantilization and better support independent use.

🗣️ What We Heard

“The tolerance level is very, very low. Very, very low. They will adopt new technology, but they don’t want it to be too difficult or unpredictable.”

- Caregiver

✅ What Changed

📱
‍The onboarding was simplified.

We recommended starting with one clear feature and step-by-step guidance. This helped reduce overwhelm and build early trust with users.

🗣️ What We Heard

“If it's just picking up on all your rhythms... If you could turn on and turn off as you wished, rather than it's just picking up?”

- Retired Senior

✅ What Changed

🔐
‍Privacy controls became a priority.

Participants expressed a strong preference for manual control. These insights informed how the team prioritized opt-in features and transparent toggles.

🗣️ What We Heard

“It takes a lot of trust, and it takes a lot of time to grow, like any relationship.”

- Caregiver

✅ What Changed

✨
‍The product was renamed from TeddyBot to Amulet.

The new name reflected a more mature, protective tone—aligning with how users wanted to feel: supported, not patronized.

Want to Dive Deeper? 🔍

We’ve compiled our full research findings—including themes, quotes, and archetypes—into a presentation.

👉 View Full Research Presentation

Final Reflection ✨

This project showed how research can sharpen product vision and build confidence in design decisions.

🧠 The original idea was thoughtful and empathetic—our role was to help align it more closely with real user needs.
👂 Research helped us understand not just usability, but how the product made people feel.
🔍 It revealed small shifts that made a big difference—like tone, form, and onboarding.
🤝 Most importantly, it helped bridge the gap between intention and impact—making a good idea even stronger.

Let’s connect and talk design

hetnn3@gmail.com
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