AllSet: Fashionable and Supportive Wearable

description

AllSet is a jacket designed for people suffering from Parkinson's disease. This training wearable promotes the formation of new neural pathways for routine movements, in order to facilitate energy conservation. Symptoms of the disease are most often triggered or worsened by fatigue and stress, so reducing these factors makes daily activities easier. The jacket functions as a passive reminder system, promoting certain motions over others. For example, when swiping an access card, it is easier for someone with a limited range of motion to do so with his or her arm extended; however, the natural motion for swiping a card involves bending the elbow, which causes more strain on the arm muscles. Implementing a mechanism inside the sleeve that provides feedback to make the user aware of their elbow bending is one way to promote straightening the arm. Some of the prototypes we have explored include auditory, tactile and tensile feedback that is triggered by movement of the arm. Another physical restraint lies in posture, for which we are experimenting with brace systems and restrictive structures inspired by kinesiotape and other corrective methods.

Process Book available on Emily Carr's Design Degree Blog: http://issuu.com/designdegreeecuad/docs/featherstone-process-book/1