170,000+ children go missing annually in India. 25,000+ elderly individuals with cognitive disorders wander and disappear. 20,000+ people get separated during mass gatherings like Kumbh Mela (80 million attendees).Nexa sought a bold rebrand to strengthen its market position and express both innovation and reliability. The new identity needed to capture attention while maintaining the company’s trusted image.
Existing wearable safety devices fail because they assume:
Stable cellular networks (collapse in crowds, remote areas)
Individual device ownership (excludes shared-device families)
Tech literacy (elderly with dementia, young children)
Preventative use (families need rapid location DURING crisis)
How might we create satellite-enabled safety that works when cellular networks fail, designed for India's most vulnerable populations?
Discovery Through Caregiver Contexts
I conducted 12 interviews with caregivers (parents of young children, families with elderly members experiencing cognitive decline) and synthesized 30+ secondary sources on missing persons data, IoT safety systems, and satellite communication infrastructure.
Critical Insight:
Wandering isn't the primary barrier—rapid location during panic is. By the time caregivers notice someone's missing, cellular networks have already failed or the person has moved beyond coverage.
Key Findings
Networks fail under stress
Mass events cause congestion (Kumbh Mela: 80M attendees, zero cellular service)
Remote areas lack coverage (20% of India's rural regions)
Elderly forget phone numbers; children lose devices
Existing solutions optimize for ideal conditions
Tile, AirTag: Require Bluetooth proximity + crowd-sourced network
Smartwatches: Assume app literacy, stable charging, data plans
Medical alerts: Stigmatizing design, cellular-dependent
Critical gap: No solution designed for worst-case scenarios—network failure + cognitive impairment + time-critical emergency.
I used Lean UX methodology to rapidly explore use cases, validate technical feasibility, and prioritize MVP features under hardware/connectivity constraints.
Seven Validated Use Cases
Elderly independence (Alzheimer's, dementia wandering)
Child supervision (urban playgrounds, rural markets)
Mass gathering safety (religious pilgrimages, political rallies)
Women's safety (solo travel, late-night commutes)
High-risk professions (journalists, forest workers, fishermen)
Outdoor recreation (hikers, trekkers in remote areas)
Pet tracking (extended use case validated post-MVP)
Design decision: Focus MVP on elderly + children (highest vulnerability, clearest need); validate extensibility through architecture.
InSync is a discreet, jewelry-like wearable paired with a caregiver mobile app—using Non-Terrestrial Networks (satellite communication) to provide real-time location tracking and emergency alerts even when cellular infrastructure collapses.
Core Innovation: Satellite + AI Movement Detection
Unlike cellular-dependent trackers, InSync operates through:
Satellite Communication
Real-time location via Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites; works in remote areas, dense crowds, disaster zones
Geo-Fencing + AI Movement Analysis
Sets virtual boundaries; AI detects unusual movement patterns (circular walking, rapid direction changes, extended stationary periods) and triggers proactive alerts
Two-Way Voice Messages
Pre-recorded caregiver messages ("Stay where you are, I'm coming") sent to wearable; wearer acknowledges with button press—no speech required
Gender-Neutral, Stigma-Free Design
Jewelry-like form factor (pendant, bracelet, clip); looks like everyday accessory, not medical alert device
Dual-Interface Design
Wearable Device Layer:
Satellite GPS module (GAGAN + LEO constellation support)
Large, tactile SOS button (one-tap emergency)
Speaker for voice message playback
Haptic feedback for alerts
Waterproof, lightweight (<50g)
7-day battery; low-power mode extends to 14 days
Caregiver Mobile App:
Real-time location map
Geo-fence management (multiple safe zones)
Alert history and pattern analysis
Voice message recording (5 pre-set messages)
Emergency contact management
Multi-device support (manage parent + child from one app)
Backend Intelligence:
AI movement pattern recognition
Satellite network routing optimization
Offline data queuing + batch sync
Multi-device coordination
Decision 1: Pure Satellite (Not Hybrid Cellular)
Initial consideration: Hybrid cellular + satellite to reduce cost ($50 cellular vs. $150 satellite unit cost).
Research insight: Caregivers prioritized guaranteed reliability in emergencies over cost optimization. "If it fails once, I'll never trust it again."
Final decision: Pure satellite architecture. Higher unit cost justified by use case criticality—this isn't step tracking; it's life-or-death infrastructure.
Trade-off accepted: Smaller market (premium pricing) in exchange for absolute reliability when needed most.
Decision 2: Pre-Recorded Voice (Not Live Calls)
Initial idea: Enable live two-way calling between caregiver and wearer.
Testing revealed:
Elderly with dementia struggle with open conversations (confusion, panic)
Children freeze during live calls under stress
Live audio drains battery rapidly (satellite bandwidth expensive)
Final design: Caregivers pre-record 5 reassurance messages:
"Stay where you are, I'm coming to get you"
"You're safe. Help is on the way"
"Press the button if you can hear me"
"Walk toward the entrance. I'll meet you there"
[Custom message]
Wearer interaction: Single button press to acknowledge—simple, clear, battery-efficient.
Impact: 100% task success rate in usability testing vs. 60% with live call interface.
Decision 3: Jewelry-Like Form Factor
Challenge: Wearables for vulnerable populations often look medical/institutional—thick bands, emergency alert aesthetic. This creates wearing resistance.
Design approach: Collaborated with industrial design to create pendant, bracelet, and clip options resembling everyday jewelry.
Elderly wear as necklace (familiar, non-stigmatizing)
Children wear as colorful bracelet (fun, playful)
Women wear as discreet accessory (safety without signaling vulnerability)
Validation: 8/10 caregivers said design "looks like something I'd actually wear" (vs. 2/10 for medical alert comparison).
Decision 4: Proactive AI Detection (Not Just Reactive GPS)
Caregiver feedback: "By the time I notice they're missing, they've already wandered far. I need to know BEFORE it becomes an emergency."
Solution: AI analyzes movement patterns in real-time:
Circular walking → common in dementia wandering
Rapid direction changes → panic, disorientation
Extended stationary periods → potential fall, injury, exhaustion
Unusual speed → getting into vehicles (abduction risk)
Result: Proactive alerts 15-30 minutes before crisis escalation vs. reactive "they're already missing" notification.
Usability Testing (4 proxy caregivers, 3 critical tasks)
Task | Avg Time | Errors | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
Set up geo-fence | 45s | 0 | ✅ Success |
Respond to SOS alert | 38s | 0 | ✅ Success |
Send voice message | 41s | 0 | ✅ Success |
Qualitative feedback:
"Finally, something that works without phone networks"
"The voice message is so simple—my mother just presses the button"
"I can manage my father and my son from one app"
Technical Feasibility Validation
Satellite Network: Aligned with:
India's GAGAN (GPS-aided GEO Augmented Navigation)
NavIC (Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System)
Emerging LEO constellations (Starlink, OneWeb India partnerships)
Regulatory Compliance: Designed within TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) satellite communication guidelines
Cost-Benefit: At-scale production cost ~$150/unit; addressable market 50M+ vulnerable individuals across India
Impact Potential
Reduces crisis response time: Hours → Minutes
Enables independence: Elderly can move freely with family oversight
Mass gathering safety: Infrastructure for Kumbh Mela, political rallies, festivals
Market differentiation: Only satellite-enabled consumer safety wearable designed for Indian infrastructure realities + cognitive impairment + low digital literacy
Government alignment: Supports Digital India, Smart Cities safety goals; complements NCRB missing persons tracking
Design for the 1% Emergency, Not the 99% Everyday
Most wearables optimize for daily engagement (step tracking, notifications). I designed for the moment when failure means life or death—which flipped every priority. Battery life > features. Reliability > cost. Simplicity > flexibility.
Hardware Constraints Shape UX More Than Software
Satellite latency (2-3 second GPS updates vs. instant cellular), battery limitations, and waterproofing requirements dictated interaction design. I learned to embrace constraints as design parameters, not limitations.
Proactive > Reactive for Vulnerable Populations
Waiting for users to press SOS assumes cognitive clarity during crisis. AI movement detection enables intervention before emergency escalation—critical for populations with impaired decision-making.
As the sole UX researcher and product designer, I:
Conducted primary research (12 caregiver interviews across urban/rural contexts)
Defined multi-stakeholder use cases (7 scenarios across elderly, children, mass gatherings)
Designed dual-interface system (wearable hardware + caregiver mobile app)
Developed system architecture integrating satellite IoT, AI movement detection, geo-fencing
Created low- and mid-fidelity prototypes; conducted usability testing
Validated technical feasibility with satellite communication experts
Aligned design with government safety infrastructure initiatives
Pilot Deployment: Partnering with NGOs for validation during Kumbh Mela 2025 (testing under extreme network congestion + user density)
ISRO Partnership: Exploring NavIC integration to reduce dependency on foreign satellite networks
Extended Use Cases: Pet tracking, solo travel safety, high-risk profession monitoring
"This project taught me that the best design for vulnerable populations isn't the most feature-rich, it's the most reliable when everything else fails."
