Improving patient engagement and support for at-home physical therapy by utilizing IoT and AR technology.
My Role
UX Researcher, Product Designer
Duration
3 Months
Team
3 Designers/ Researchers
Final Presentation
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OVERVIEW
I designed MotionMend, a technology consisting of an AR headset, wearable motion sensors, and paired software to provide real-time physical therapy feedback and support for patients as they perform at-home procedures. I also contributed to creating user journeys and envisioning how MotionMend would contribute to a PT patient’s day-to-day life and recovery process.
IMPACT
Built a design system for MotionMend, adapting Apple’s visionOS components to develop MotionMend’s component library.
PROBLEM
Majority of physical therapy exercises are done at home, but patients find that this lacks real-time feedback and engagement.
Many physical therapy patients see a physical therapist roughly only once a week. During the time not spent at the office, patients do exercises at home by themselves. However, the lack of real-time feedback while completing these exercises away from the office leads to lower engagement and increased frustration for patients.
OPPORTUNITY
Combining IoT sensors with AR technology could provide a more engaging at-home physical therapy experience for patients.
SOLUTION
Regular check-ins keep the patient accountable for completing at-home exercises.
The patient is held accountable to stick to their routine with a periodic reminder for when they must start. Each day there is a session, MotionMend adjusts accordingly to ensure an optimized PT routine for the day, without causing strain.
Motion sensors detect how the patient did during the last exercise to tailor the next exercise.
This enables that recovery exercises are better tailored to each patient’s individual progression.
IoT sensors and correction enable everyday guidance and real-time feedback at home.
Form corrections quickly suggest to the patient how they can improve the way they are doing exercises at home, making for increased engagement and satisfaction with the at-home procedure.