Overview
Outcome
Why Physical Therapy?
Research
Design System
Interactions
OVERVIEW

MotionMend

The Challenge

With the increase of emerging technologies within Healthcare, physical therapy remains largely limited by in-person modalities of treatment. We wanted to envision how these technologies could fit in existing healthcare workflows.

The Solution

An at-home XR healthcare solution that boosts patient motivation and adherence through immersive visual and tactile guidance.

Team

3 (cross-functional)

Timeline

6 weeks

My Roles

UX Research

UX Design

Prototyping

Concept Direction

Tools

Figma

FigJam

After Effects

Photoshop

The Challenge

With the increase of emerging technologies within Healthcare, physical therapy remains largely limited by in-person modalities of treatment. We wanted to envision how these technologies could fit in existing healthcare workflows.

The Solution

An at-home XR healthcare solution that boosts patient motivation and adherence through immersive visual and tactile guidance.

Team

3

Timeline

6 weeks

My Roles

UX Research

UX Design

Prototyping

Concept Direction

Tools

Figma

FigJam

After Effects

Photoshop

The Challenge

With the increase of emerging technologies within Healthcare, physical therapy remains largely limited by in-person modalities of treatment. We wanted to envision how these technologies could fit in existing healthcare workflows.

The Solution

An at-home XR healthcare solution that boosts patient motivation and adherence through immersive visual and tactile guidance.

Team

3

Timeline

6 weeks

My Roles

UX Research

UX Design

Prototyping

Concept Direction

Tools

Figma

FigJam

After Effects

Photoshop

The Challenge

With the increase of emerging technologies within Healthcare, physical therapy remains largely limited by in-person modalities of treatment. We wanted to envision how these technologies could fit in existing healthcare workflows.

The Solution

An at-home XR healthcare solution that boosts patient motivation and adherence through immersive visual and tactile guidance.

Team

3

Timeline

6 weeks

My Roles

UX Research

UX Design

Prototyping

Concept Direction

Tools

Figma

FigJam

After Effects

Photoshop

OUTCOME
OUTCOME

Real-Time Feedback for At-Home Physical Therapy

MotionMend bridges the gap between at-home physical therapy exercises and practitioner input.

MotionMend bridges the gap between at-home physical therapy exercises and practitioner input.

Narrowing Down the Focus of the Game

MotionMend provides a tool for at-home physical therapy patients to monitor their symptoms and progress.

MotionMend provides a tool for at-home physical therapy patients to monitor their symptoms and progress.

Data is utilized by MotionMend to provide recommended exercise accommodations

MotionMend works alongside motion-sensored IoT devices to provide accurate movement data.

MotionMend works alongside motion-sensored IoT devices to provide accurate movement data.

MotionMend identifies where sensors are needed to ensure accuracy & precision

MotionMend provides immersive guidance with exercise demos rendered, allowing the patient to better understand requirements.

MotionMend provides immersive guidance with exercise demos rendered, allowing the patient to better understand requirements.

Demos are pre-loaded prior to the day's exercise.

MotionMend learns from patient feedback and adjusts the routine to tailor to the patient's needs.

MotionMend learns from patient feedback and adjusts the routine to tailor to the patient's needs.

Modifications ensure patients stay on track with their treatment

MotionMend provides immediate interventions and to ensure accurate exercise postures.

MotionMend provides immediate interventions and to ensure accurate exercise postures.

Bad posturing can worsen symptoms

CONTEXT

Why Physical Therapy?

Access to consistent treatment proves to be a major hurdle in disability treatment

Access to consistent treatment proves to be a major hurdle in disability treatment

About

6 to 10 Adults

live with a chronic disease in the U.S

About

47% of Adults

with disabilities get no physical activity at all

An Estimated

$145 Billion

in global healthcare costs due to inactivity

Analyzing Physical Therapy In-Person

Physical Therapy treatment today varies greatly on the location and severity of the injury. Multiple decision points exist for both the provider and patient, creating a complex path of treatment.

Physical Therapy treatment today varies greatly on the location and severity of the injury. Multiple decision points exist for both the provider and patient, creating a complex path of treatment.

  1. Where does Treatment Start?

Initial Patient Touchpoint

b. How does Physical Therapy Treatment Work?

Treatment Outline

Where can technological interventions be applied to facilitate a holistic approach of care in PT Interventions?

RESEARCH

Identifying Opportunity Gaps

To fully understand the domain, we conducted a comprehensive stakeholder analysis to identify and better understand the users who would benefit from this product.

To fully understand the domain, we conducted a comprehensive stakeholder analysis to identify and better understand the users who would benefit from this product.

  1. Who are the Stakeholders?

Stakeholder Analysis

b. Who Are We Designing For?

Identifying who we should design for

Is telehealth a reliable method for physical therapy treatment?

At-Home Physical Therapy

At-Home Physical Therapy requires a slew of different technological integrations. We conducted a literature review to aid in identifying the state of this telehealth practice.

At-Home Physical Therapy requires a slew of different technological integrations. We conducted a literature review to aid in identifying the state of this telehealth practice.

  1. What does the Literature Say?

Low Engagement

Engagement is a critical barrier to adherence in at-home rehabilitation

Missing Feedback

Lack of real-time feedback leads to ineffective or incorrect recovery behaviors

Static Therapy

Static therapy plans fail to accommodate fluctuating patient conditions.

Barriers to Competent At-Home Care

b. Additional Considerations with At-Home Care

Barriers to Competent At-Home Care

How might we encourage patients to engage in at-home Physical Therapy sessions?

XR Technologies & At-Home Interventions

To fully understand the domain, we conducted a comprehensive stakeholder analysis to identify and better understand the users who would benefit from this product.

To fully understand the domain, we conducted a comprehensive stakeholder analysis to identify and better understand the users who would benefit from this product.

  1. Why Spatial Computing?

Increased Engagement

By making exercises game-like and fun, spatial computing can fill the gap of low engagement and boost motivation at home.

Real-Time Feedback

Spatial computing (sensors + XR) can provide on-the-spot visual cues and personalized progress tracking, a capability missing in current tech.

Responsive Therapy

Spatial computing can similarly adjust exercises daily (or provide distraction when pain is high), meeting patients “where they are” symptom-wise.

b. How Does Spatial Computing Work?

How might we democratize physical therapy and enhance patient agency using spatial computing technologies?

Storyboarding Scenarios

To fully understand the domain, we conducted a comprehensive stakeholder analysis to identify and better understand the users who would benefit from this product.

To fully understand the domain, we conducted a comprehensive stakeholder analysis to identify and better understand the users who would benefit from this product.

b. What Might This Product Look Like?

b. How Might Potential Interactions Work?

Research Conclusion

There is a gap in engagement, real-time guidance, and adaptability in at-home physical therapy. Patients often lose motivation due to pain and repetition, lack feedback on whether they are performing exercises correctly, and follow static routines that do not account for fluctuating symptoms, leading to inconsistent and ineffective recovery.

So an XR-based rehabilitation system can help bridge these gaps by making therapy more engaging, providing real-time visual guidance, and adapting exercises to patients’ daily conditions.

There is a gap in engagement, real-time guidance, and adaptability in at-home physical therapy. Patients often lose motivation due to pain and repetition, lack feedback on whether they are performing exercises correctly, and follow static routines that do not account for fluctuating symptoms, leading to inconsistent and ineffective recovery.

So an XR-based rehabilitation system can help bridge these gaps by making therapy more engaging, providing real-time visual guidance, and adapting exercises to patients’ daily conditions.

DESIGN SYSTEM

Visual Design

This Design Kit provides components and styles for implementing a digital physical therapy healthcare interface.

The specifications of this system covers a broad range of applications for the combination and utilization of sensing IoT, Motion Tracking Cameras, and AR Goggles.

This Design Kit provides components and styles for implementing a digital physical therapy healthcare interface.

The specifications of this system covers a broad range of applications for the combination and utilization of sensing IoT, Motion Tracking Cameras, and AR Goggles.

  1. Component Library

Explore The Design System Above!

INTERACTIONS

Intervention & Haptics

  1. IoT Sensors

MotionMend uses actuators in the wearable bands to simulate sense of touch through vibration actuators on the sensors wrapped around the designated area. The bands are embedded with gyroscopes, accelerometer, and micro-location sensors to tract patient form and actuate in specific patterns under specific situations.

MotionMend uses actuators in the wearable bands to simulate sense of touch through vibration actuators on the sensors wrapped around the designated area. The bands are embedded with gyroscopes, accelerometer, and micro-location sensors to tract patient form and actuate in specific patterns under specific situations.

b. Haptic Intervention

MotionMend intervenes with the exercise when they detect an anomaly in the sensor data.

Speed & Acceleration Data: Pace of the exercise, the patient might be lingering or moving too fast that might injure themselves during the exercise.

Orientation & Position Data: Form incorrect, the patient might be incorrectly going through an exercise. This could deter their recovery process or cause permanent injuries.

MotionMend intervenes with the exercise when they detect an anomaly in the sensor data.

Speed & Acceleration Data: Pace of the exercise, the patient might be lingering or moving too fast that might injure themselves during the exercise.

Orientation & Position Data: Form incorrect, the patient might be incorrectly going through an exercise. This could deter their recovery process or cause permanent injuries.

b. Directional Guidance

Visuals paired with haptic feedback guidance. Arrows should be synchronized with the movement of the haptics on the wearable.

Haptic: Guidance are executed using a ring of haptics on the wearable, creating the sense of directionality through haptics pulsating in specific orders.

Visuals: Arrows are paired with the guiding haptics to better create the sense of directionality for the patient, giving them a better understanding of what actions they need to perform to correct their form or avoid danger.

Visuals paired with haptic feedback guidance. Arrows should be synchronized with the movement of the haptics on the wearable.

Haptic: Guidance are executed using a ring of haptics on the wearable, creating the sense of directionality through haptics pulsating in specific orders.

Visuals: Arrows are paired with the guiding haptics to better create the sense of directionality for the patient, giving them a better understanding of what actions they need to perform to correct their form or avoid danger.

NEXT STEPS

Refining the Technology Ecosystem

While developing this product, aligning cross-sector technologies within the healthcare industry was essential. However, as emerging technologies such as XR and IoT sensors advance, questions around their most effective applications became increasingly significant. Refining the positioning of emerging technologies within healthcare is worth exploring.

Implementation of AI

As artificial intelligence continues to rise in prominence, how might it be utilized in healthcare solutions? Further research into domain systems is necessary to identify the role of an agent within the doctor-patient relationship. How would AI aid in the development of at-home physical therapy?

Accessibility is of Concern

Without real-time feedback, at-home adherence of physical therapy treatments diminish reducing motivation and patient accountability.

REFLECTION

The Necessity of Research

This was my first experience working with XR technologies, which demanded a significant amount of research within a limited timeframe. Without understanding the technological limitations and system processes, our design efforts for users would have been unfocused and less holistic.

Technology Limitations as Design Constraints

By understanding our domain thoroughly, the limitations of this rapidly evolving tech for both wearables and AR highlighted the range of possibilities. Identifying our limitations was incredibly helpful in identifying where are design constraints resided, resulting in a more cohesive real-world solution.

Utilizing Emerging Technologies

This project pushed our team to envision the integration of future technology within the existing business domains. As our relationship towards tech evolves, being equipped with an understanding of how to design utilizing emerging technology is now central to my work as a designer.