Background:

In the US, there are 7 million people who have had a stroke with 5 million having lasting upper limb impairments.
There is a significant amount of research that demonstrates high-intensity use of the affected arm is required for recovery of arm function, but the current standard of care does not allow for this.

To better understand the challenges stroke survivors face, imagine Jane, who had a stroke five years ago. She attended therapy sessions regularly, but after a year and a half, her insurance coverage ended, forcing her to stop treatment.

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Research method:

We did two rounds of interview and for the first round we wanted to understand user motivation in using their affected arm and for the second round, we acquire feedback on our device concept. We did interviews with 12 people who had stroke, 6 occupational therapist and 7 other stakeholders. We had 2 focus group sessions with stroke survivors and 2 home visits.

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Our device concept:

We developed a wearable rehabilitation device designed to encourage use of the affected arm during daily life by augmenting a user’s ability to reach and hold objects with a balloon-like soft wearable that can be inflated or deflated in parallel with a user’s volitional movement.

Here, there are four different versions of wearables that we tested with our users to get their feedback during the second round of interviews.

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I led the data synthesis from our interview findings, and below is a summary of key insights from each round.

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Understand user motivation in using their affected arm: 

• Insurance does not cover high-volume rehab.

• Goal-oriented rehab is effective.

• Being able to perform activities of daily living is important.

Acquire feedback on our device concept:

• It should be a single arm donnable device. 

• Shoulder is important joint to support for arm rehab

• It is suitable for at-home rehab.

• The device should be lightweight.

Through our research, we learned that goal-oriented rehabilitation significantly increases engagement and progress for stroke survivors. With that insight, we began designing a digital therapeutic app that connects stroke survivors with their occupational therapists.

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<img src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/6849df8a3dabe50908c16035/0cc7f184-8197-4867-a85f-c49598d38ee5/image+77.png?">

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Occupational therapists can assign and sequence daily exercises based on each patient’s abilities and the difficulty of activities. Stroke survivors can then view their personalized exercise plan, track their progress, and see how effectively they are performing each task.

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The app also enables therapists to provide feedback directly within the platform, helping users stay aligned with their rehab goals. By making progress visible and creating a clear feedback loop, the app increases accountability and helps survivors understand how consistent practice moves them closer to their personal goals.

• Secured a three-year, $5 million grant for Phase 2 of NSF Convergence Accelerator based on user research insights and validation.

• Translated user feedback into product stories and requirements, leading to prototype improvements.

  • Increased donnability of the wearable device from 50% to 86%, enhancing ease of use.

  • Guided the development team to prioritize reducing the device’s weight, addressing user comfort concerns.

• Initiated development of a digital therapeutic feature to help users track and understand their progress.

• Began designing study protocols for the next phase, in which users will wear the device during daily routines.