HExo

MOBILE APP

Hand Exoskeleton

A mobile application that operates a hand exoskeleton device, to help patients rehabilitate independently at home.

Health Tech UX Design + Research

Cre-AID LABS | MedTech startup

MY ROLE + RESPONSIBILITIES

I worked closely with Engineers, Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) and Patients. I drove the user research, created wireframes and prototypes, ensured successful testing and implementation.

TEAM

1 UX Designer and Researcher (me)

4 R&D Engineers | HExo device

1 Developer | Mobile App

TOOLS

Figma

Adobe Photoshop + Illustrator

Procreate

01 OVERVIEW

Outcomes

Clients

Onboarded on pilot launch

HExo launched with 12 patients in hospital settings and 4 patients at home

Time Saved

Reduced HCP's time per patient, with effective care

Lowered HCP cognitive load and workload with effective care for patients.

Treatment Retention

Patients adhered to recovery, reducing drop-off rates.

Patients showed consistent progress in recovery over 6+ months.

100

Process Overview

02 DISCOVER

Context

What are Exoskeletons?

'Exo' or 'external' skeletons aid patients recovering from neuromuscular disorders such as strokes or injuries. They assist movement and exercises, helping patients regain their Range Of Motion (R.O.M).

The device is operated with controlled speeds and ROM. A. Full ROM (120 degrees); B. Speed changed; C. Partial ROM

Who are our users?

Market Solutions

What are current approaches to rehabilitation?

Therapist-driven rehabilitation,

most common

High-tech exoskeletons,

advanced and expensive

Bulky, stationary exoskeletons at therapy centers

Where HExo Comes in

A lightweight, portable, and affordable exoskeleton. An equitable solution designed to be accessible across all scales of hospitals, clinics, and home environments.

Functionality A

Exercise therapy to maintain and improve mobility

Functionality B

Daily activity assistance with everyday tasks

The Challenge

How might we help patients have a smooth recovery journey right from diagnoses to complete recovery in a way that they are independent and comfortable?

03 RESEARCH

Interviews + Contextual Inquiries

Insights from Patients

Fluctuating emotional states right from diagnosis through recovery
This affects motivation levels and consistency with therapy
It's important for patients to see their progress frequently to stay motivated

Insights from Healthcare Professionals

Physiotherapy involves long term planning and high cognitive load for HCPs
Treatment is highly involving and time intensive
HCPs often support their patients, lending motivation and assurance
There are often communication gaps when transferring patients between HCPs

Design Question

How can we design an application for HExo that is motivating and empowering for patients and aids healthcare professionals deliver treatment effectively?

04 DESIGN SOLUTION

Design Goals

Reduce intimidation with rehabilitation

Patient comfort and confidence

Incorporate safeguards to prevent accidents

Patient safety

Encourage and empower patients

Foster motivation

To deliver patient care effectively, distribute cognitive load

Enable HCPs

Features by Priority

Information Architecture

HExo Skip to Design

4.1 DESIGN ITERATIONS

Finding An Intuitive Structure

Finding a clear and intuitive way to organize the app's core functionalities—calibration, manual mode, and therapy mode.

Initial concept

Collapsible cards organize the functions within a single screen - compact but cluttered interface that users found challenging to navigate.

Final design

A conventional navigation bar, leveraging users’ familiarity - thumb friendly and intuitive.

Ease of Operating HExo

Operating the flexion, extension and speed of HExo ensuring safety, leaving no room for error. Any undesired flexion or extension could result in injuries, making precision and reliability essential in the control mechanism. Patients were already familiar with basic terms like flex, extend and R.O.M due to their interactions with HCPs and medical reports.

Initial concept

Pre-defined increments and decrements for flexion and extension - added complexity with more buttons, risk of exceeding R.O.M.

Final approach

Press-and-hold buttons for flexion and extension - precision control and enhanced safety.

Measuring Movement with HExo Buddy

A combination of numerical metrics and visual feedback improved usability, enabling patients and HCPs to monitor and adjust movements easily.

Using degrees was the most intuitive metric for users, offering a universal and straightforward way to track and communicate progress. It was also the metric for the R&D team to configure the HExo device.

To enhance this further, we introduced the HExo Buddy—an interactive visual aid that mirrors the patient’s movements in real-time.

4.2 HI-FI PROTOTYPES

Simplifying Device Setup + Calibration

To use the device, it must first be configured to the patient’s Range of Motion (R.O.M) during the setup process, involving many steps. This can be done with safely by their healthcare professionals.

Before usability testing

Usability testing revealed that the initial design left users unsure of the sequence and required actions due to the lack of instruction

Final design

Each step is broken down into separate screens with clear instructions.

Motivating Patients

Therapy is a key component to the application, and patients often require motivation and support to endure the discomfort associated with the process.

Progress tracker

View goals and gradual improvement at an overview and a granular level

Progress in each phase toward milestones
Track ROM improvements, see the numbers change over time
Progress within the therapy session as the exercise is compelted

Lending motivation

Replicating motivation provided by therapists, the Cre-AID mascot adds a positive touch to the experience

Patient feedback for HCP insights

Gathers post-session insights to track progress, report pain and difficulty, compiled into a report. HCPs use this data to inform and adjust treatment plans effectively.

Designing for Patient Safety

Patient's calibrated R.O.M auto applied across all modes. This enhances safety by preventing the device from exceeding the R.O.M under any circumstances.

An emergency stop button was added to all screens as a kill switch for enhanced safety.

Restricting access to calibration settings

Access to edit calibration and therapy (CPM) settings is restricted to HCPs through an access code. This measure safeguards patients from mishaps and prevents tampering with the device

05 REFLECTION

Metrics

Success rate in pilot launch with 16 Patients + 4 Hospitals

weeks

Ahead of schedule, working closely with dev team

Reduction in calibration time with final design

Takeaways

The need for deep empathy with users when designing

Design with, not for

The importance of simplifying complex interactions

The simplest solutions are often the best

Breaking projects into phases is a useful organization tool

Incremental wins add up

TL;DR? SKIP TO DESIGN