Industrial - Honours

OneStep

The OneStep for Parkinson’s is an innovative wearable that uses emerging technologies to assist with Freezing of Gait (FOG) in Parkinson’s Disease discreetly and autonomously. It does this through the use of wearable technology, that accurately measures when freezing occurs, and simultaneously initiates audible cueing techniques.

Brad Stevens

ONESTEP FOR PARKINSON’s DISEASE

USING EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES TO DISCREETLY MONITOR AND ASSIST WITH FREEZING OF GAIT IN PARKINSON’s DISEASE

Freezing of Gait is one of the most distressing manifestations to appear with late-stage Parkinson’s Disease, yet still remains one of the least understood. To define the phenomenon of FOG precisely is challenging, although the clinically sound definition, is “the inability to create forward progression, despite the intention to do so”. This inability to produce forward progression can be incapacitating for affected patients and has been found to generate both physical and psychological impact on the patient’s Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL).

The OneStep for Parkinson’s is an innovative wearable that uses emerging technologies to assist with Freezing of Gait (FOG) in Parkinson’s Disease discreetly and autonomously. It does this through the use of wearable technology, that accurately measures when freezing occurs, and simultaneously initiates audible cueing techniques.

Image of the OneStep product and associated devices.

SEE IT IN ACTION

THE RESEARCH

An exhaustive research phase was undertaken to gain insight into the pain points, and struggles of people with Parkinson’s and Clinicians that care for them. Primary and secondary research methods such as in-person interviews and online user surveys were utilised to provide an in-depth understanding of the problem space. Engaging with users, and various industry professionals was paramount to creating a final outcome that was beneficial and necessary.

The solution

The OneStep for Parkinson’s is an innovative wearable that uses emerging technologies to assist with Freezing of Gait (FOG) in Parkinson’s Disease discreetly and autonomously. It does this through the use of wearable technology, that accurately measures when freezing occurs, and simultaneously initiates audible cueing techniques.

By measuring the rate and severity of a user’s freezing, OneStep also aids clinicians in having a more in-depth understanding into how a person’s Parkinson’s is progressing. This will further assist when accurately diagnosing FOG and administering the proper dosage of medication. This means that OneStep will be able to not only assist with the alleviation of FOG symptoms when in public or at home but also within clinical or hospital settings. It’s ability to track symptoms will also help in further increasing the current clinical knowledge on how FOG and other Parkinsonian symptoms may be mitigated.

4 MAJOR PILLARS

The OneStep system is broken up into four main components. The insole itself, which uses sensors housed within the insole to measure when freezing occurs. The Audio, where audible cues are played through the connected hearing device to assist in the re-initiation of gait when freezing occurs. The Application, which allows users to access their OneStep data and change audio cueing preferences, and the charger, which involves LED lighting to signify to vision-impaired users that charging is occurring successfully.

other features

WHAT MAKES THE APPLICATION STAND OUT?

The Application is a smaller part of the OneStep system, however it is crucial in creating an intuitive and easy to understand product suite. As OneStep is targeted towards the aging population, App Design had to be considered to ensure that it was easy to understand and allowed the device to be connected easily. The final layout promotes accessibility, and was designed with the users in mind.

USING LIGHTING FOR VISION IMPAIRED USERS

The charger is a key component within the OneStep system due to its in-depth user considerations. The charger has been created to accommodate for the aging population through size, weight, and lighting features. The charging cable involves two magnetically connected chargers, that begin charging when dropped on top of the insole. This allows users to keep the insoles in their shoes between uses, which is beneficial for those with limited finger or hand dexterity.

Materials + INTERNALS

DOWNLOAD MY DISSERTATION

Name
ONESTEP RESEARCH DISSERTATION
File Type
application
File Size
8 MB
Download File

Brad Stevens

Brad is a passionate UX/Industrial Designer with a background in Graphic Design. He thrives in positions that work within dynamic and high-pressure environments, in which he can use his key skills to solve complex and interesting design problems.