Going into graduate school, I was excited to take my passions; technology, fabric and health and weave them into one cohesive project. Thus, the Thera-Network was born. Grounded in motivational theory, the Thera-Network combines autonomy, fun and belonging to create a device that motivates and tracks patients undergoing a course of physical therapy. 

Designed to pair with the tabletop device, this knee brace,  (designed pre-iPhone) allowed patients to track exercise, get rewards, upload data to a provider, and track with a buddy. The photo served to remind patients of the reward at the end of therapy. 

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​Prototyping

Working with neoprene, breadboards and a new, experimental plastic polymer, multiple prototypes were created to discover the best configuration.  

Ideation

Many iterations were sketched out in an attempt to avoid the look of a medical device. In order to utilize the available materials and technology, the final product ended up looking more like a traditional knee brace. 

Final Device

Electro-luminescent strips were sewn into the neoprene knee brace and attached to a potentiometer. One, two or three strips would light up based on how far the patient's knee is able to bend, gamifying an otherwise stressful situation.