Sixth Sense

Inspiration

Data shows that 6 billion people, or 74% of the world’s population, were online in 2025, making the internet an essential part of everyday life. However, not everyone enters this digital biome with the same level of experience.

Older adults can face greater challenges recognising scams, misinformation, and increasingly convincing AI-generated content. In 2025 alone, people over 60 reported approximately US$7.7 billion in losses to internet crime to the FBI’s IC3. With financial fraud becoming increasingly sophisticated, we wanted to explore how technology could help seniors navigate the digital world more safely.

That inspired Sixth Sense, a digital companion that acts like an extra sense for detecting online danger.

What it does

Sixth Sense helps older users identify potential scams, misinformation, suspicious links, calls, and AI-generated content as they navigate the internet.

When it detects something suspicious, the Sixth Sense widget turns red and alerts the user. Instead of using technical language, it clearly explains what might be dangerous, why it is suspicious, and what the user should do next.

The app also includes an AI assistant for specific questions, an FAQ and troubleshooting section, and a Learning page where users can understand common digital threats and unfamiliar internet terms.

How we built it

We designed Sixth Sense around the needs of older users, focusing on making every interaction as simple and understandable as possible.

Our interface uses low-density layouts, minimal text, large typography, generous spacing, clear labels, large touch targets, and high-contrast colours. We also used Atkinson Hyperlegible for improved readability.

We designed the companion differently for each mobile platform, using a Dynamic Island experience on iOS and a floating avatar on Android, allowing Sixth Sense to remain accessible while the user browses other apps.

Challenges we ran into

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are especially proud that Sixth Sense goes beyond simply saying "this might be a scam." It helps users understand the danger and gives them an immediate action they can take.

We are also proud of how the concept combines real-time protection and digital education. Sixth Sense can help users in the moment while gradually helping them become more confident navigating the digital world independently.

What we learned

We learned that designing for seniors is not simply about making everything bigger. It requires thinking carefully about cognitive load, unfamiliar terminology, error prevention, readability, and how much information someone needs at each moment.

We also learned that accessibility and privacy should not be treated as features added at the end. They need to influence the product from the beginning.

What's next for Sixth Sense

Our next step is to expand Sixth Sense beyond mobile devices. We envision a desktop version with the same companion avatar, allowing seniors to receive guidance while using computers, websites, and online services.

Further into the future, Sixth Sense could also integrate with smart glasses such as Meta glasses, bringing the companion into the physical world. This could help seniors navigate unfamiliar digital systems in real time, such as self-service kiosks, ticket machines, ATMs, digital menus, or check-in screens, by explaining what they are seeing and guiding them through each step.