StepUp
Product Design | Wearable Design
Create a wearable device that explore the application of posture benefits
7 weeks project
StepUp is a smart back brace that corrects posture, builds confidence by mimic a hug feeling and helps ease nervousness during presentation.
Digital Age
People constantly using their smartphone to survive in current fast paced world, but they also put their body in risk.
Office workers spend 7 hours on computers a day on average and they hunch their shoulder and extend their neck to use computers.
Back Pain Facts
Single leading cause of disability worldwide
One of the most common reasons for missed work
Second most common reason for visits to the doctor’s office
80% of the population will experience a back problem at some time in their lives
Most cases of back pain are mechanical or non-organic
Americans spend at least $50 billion each year for back pain
Posture Benefits
Insight:
Open and relaxed power poses make people look and feel more confident even in situation where they are under stress and pressure.
Bad Posture
Back and neck pain
Fatigue and pessimism
Difficult to concentrate
Good Posture
Improve memory
Reduce stress
Increase energy & happiness
The Superman
Puff out chest
Plant hands on hips
Stand with feet apart
Take it or leave it
Plant hands on table
Lean forward
Feet points to another person
The Performer
Puff out chest
Arms spread out
Stand with feet apart
High power poses
-Open
-Relaxed
2 min of high power poses
-Increase feels of confidence
-Decrease anxiety
-Improve ability to deal stress
User Experiences
Objective
Trying the comfortableness of the back brace
Possibility for it to provide extra strength
Observations
Brace pulls his shoulder back at all times
It is very tight on the stomach area
Insight
Brace should adjust to user’s movement
Objective
Testing adjustable strap feature by manually tighten/loose strings
Observations
The effect of adjusting is minimal
The auto fitting provides more comfort
Insight
Auto adjust is not necessary
Auto fitting provide ease for the user to wear the brace
Objective
Testing the added chest strap
Observations
User loved how the brace wrapped tightly around his body
User feels more secure and confident like in mother’s arm
Insight
Brace can provide emotional support
Emotional support can boost confidence
Objective
Testing how vibration works on human’s back
Observations
Vibration causes itchiness or ticklishness at certain spots(scapula)
User can barely feel the vibration
Insight
Placement of the vibration spots are very important
There should be multiple levels of vibration intensity
Objective
Test the speed/interval of the vibration for pacing speech
Observations
User stop mid-speech vibration starts
Pulsing vibration help him pace his speech
Insight
Sudden vibration creates confusion
Pulsing vibration are helpful for presentation
Objective
Test different size, placement, and component for vibration
Observations
Lower positioned disk vibration feels most comfortable to the user
Insight
Different intensity of vibration can have different meanings
System Diagram
Mimic the hug feeling
StepUp App
