LOOP
A smart sock concept with an accompanying iPad application to monitor surgically treated fractured limb health during the rehabilitation process
OVERVIEW
Design of a system that enables people with a surgically treated fracture on one limb to monitor their gait and limb health during their rehabilitation process at home, as well as provides them with feedback on their rehabilitation activities and limb health.
The Smart Sock system will be used as a research tool to help doctors and researchers support the theory that patients with a surgically treated fracture on one limb benefit more if they start training as early as they can put weight on their fractured limb.
To ensure that the wearable prototype is used by the patients, it should be comfortable as well as safe for the patients. Comfortability refers to sensor placement and secure attachment to the wearable. Safety refers to not harming the health of the patients in any way, neither by the use of electronic components, nor by the use of materials, or the overall design for the wearable. Finally, the biggest challenge of this project is to develop a non-expensive wearable compared to existing products that are available on the market.
Furthermore, to ensure that the data measured by the wearable are accurate and supportive of the theory, it is important that clinical physiotherapists are able to read and understand the data, and even contribute their expertise to the information gathered, by having a way to input data themselves.
CLIENTS
IDEE Maastricht
Maastricht University
Maastricht University Hospital
MY CONTRIBUTION
user-research &
analysis
conceptual design
physical &
digital prototyping
user testing
preparing materials for exhibition
presentation
DURATION
11 weeks
OVERALL PROJECT PLANNING
USER RESEARCH AT ADELANTE REHABILITATION CENTER
RESEARCH GOALS
PARTICIPANTS
OUTCOME-USER JOURNEY
Several participants were asked to demonstrate how they normally fold their socks for storage.
To explore different attachment methods for the hard components to the sock, a quick and dirty prototyping-brainstorming session was carried out.
Several participants were asked to demonstrate how they normally fold their socks for storage.
WEARABLE PROTOTYPING
We did a two-part physical exploration with a few participants to to order to find the least hazardous, yet most comfortable position for the hard components. The results of this exploration were in line with the decision of the consortium to place the hard components on the top part of the sock.
SECOND ITERATION
The second iteration for the wearable design focused more on the question “Should it be a sock? Why?”. Therefore the con’s of different footwear options, such as a sock, a shoe and an insole were considered. In addition, a moodboard was composed out of inspirational wearables, relevant to the context or not. Afterwards, quick prototyping led to a first design proposal. In this section, more information about this process and the design proposal can be found, as well as the two designs that were evaluated in the end.
APPLICATION INTERFACE DEVELOPMENT
To track the progress of the patient, it was necessary to develop an application. Two iterations of the design and evaluation of the application prototype for therapists are described. In the first iteration, the focus for the design was mainly on the data visualization and the information structure of the application. The second iteration focussed on the design of an interactive prototype which included data visualization.
DATA VISUALIZATION
Data visualization was one of the most important requirements for the design of the application. Sensors are embedded in the smart socks to collect raw data when a patient is walking with these socks. This raw data can be further translated into essential parameters (e.g. weight distribution, temperature, edema) to evaluate the quality of gait and the health condition of the patient.
However, these parameters should be interpreted in a way that can be easily understood by the physiotherapist. To achieve this goal, several graphics were sketched out.
Data visualization visuals
Data visualization visuals
Data visualization brainstorming sketches
Data visualization visuals
WIREFRAMING
A series of interface screen, meeting the necessary requirements, were sketched out. To improve the aesthetics and consistency of the interface pages, prototypes were developed using Balsamiq Mockups. The screens were once evaluated, with four colleagues who volunteered to participate as test subjects.
FINAL APP PROTOTYPE
Based on the remarks acquired from the previous design iteration, the final interface and interaction design of the application was developed in Axure RP Pro 7.0.
FINAL EVALUATION
The two different concepts for the wearable, the LOOP and the SOCK concept, were compared and evaluated, whose preferences were further investigated. The main focus of the usability problems of the evaluation were the comfort, the ease of use, the flexibility and visual aesthetics.
The evaluation of the application interface was twofold. A heuristic evaluation was initially conducted with usability experts to identify potential issues. After this evaluation, the interface was altered, based on the comments from the experts, and a usability evalutation was conducted with physiotherapists from the Adelante Clinic.