Final Happiness: What Intelligent User Interfaces Can Do for The Lonely Dying

TL;DR

This paper addresses existential loneliness in terminally ill individuals and critiques existing end-of-life technologies as focusing mainly on practical tasks or social connectivity. It employs in-depth qualitative interviews (N=14) to derive an empirically grounded model of existential needs and introduces the Three Pillars, Twelve Principles framework for creating Intelligent User Interfaces as existential companions. Through prototype concepts and a user-evaluated design directive of transcendence over simulation, the work demonstrates how IUIs can augment or surpass what is possible for such users, rather than merely simulating human connection. The study provides a user-centered blueprint for shifting Thanatechnology toward 'partners for living fully until the end,' with implications for dignity, meaning-making, and digital legacy.

Abstract

This study explores the design of Intelligent User Interfaces (IUIs) to address the profound existential loneliness of terminally ill individuals. While Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) has made inroads in "Thanatechnology," current research often focuses on practical aspects like digital legacy management, overlooking the subjective, existential needs of those facing death in isolation. To address this gap, we conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with 14 lonely, terminally ill individuals. Our core contributions are: (1) An empirically-grounded model articulating the complex psychological, practical, social, and spiritual needs of this group; (2) The "Three Pillars, Twelve Principles" framework for designing IUIs as "Existential Companions"; and (3) A critical design directive derived from user evaluations: technology in this context should aim for transcendence over simulation. The findings suggest that IUIs should create experiences that augment or surpass human capabilities, rather than attempting to simulate basic human connections, which can paradoxically deepen loneliness. This research provides a clear, user-centered path for designing technology that serves not as a "tool for dying," but as a "partner for living fully until the end".