Reimagine Ankle Training
How does a training tool’s presence encourage ankle training routine?
Magneflex
Strategy
Design
Design
“A very interesting problem.”
— Vice Chair of Women in Design Seattle
"Well-solved problem space and smart choices in the process.”
— Mentor, Industrial Designer at Peleton
Magneflex’s mission is to empower patients with Chronic Ankle Instability to improve their ankle health and encourage daily access to personalized ankle training routines. It does this by understanding patients’ life routines and deploying magnetic resistance technology that exists at the intersection of physical and digital worlds.
To deliver this big idea, I partnered with physical therapists, CAI patients, and engineers. Together, we got to creat a device that could make accessible ankle training plans and track a user’s progress.
The result was an under-desk innovative device that activates ankle parts modularly and corrects sitting posture.
CAI Research
What is Chronic Ankle Instability?
Process | 2020-2023
Many users choose to ignore it. Why?
User Research
Strategize Training
HOW To Train
WHEN To Train
WHERE To Train
Form 0 to 1
Why this form?
Visualization
What is Magneflex?
CAI Research
What is Chronic Ankle Instability?
Patient #1 | 9 years of CAI
“It comes out of nowhere, even if I wear the flattest shoes.”
Patient #3 | 15 years of CAI
“Just another sprain, it will be fine in ten minutes.”
Patient #2 | 3 years of CAI
“Multiple times a day.”
Recurrent Ankle Sprains
Though it doesn't hurt much for most sprains, it does lead to more severe injuries and inconvenience in life and potential chronic pain after several years of untreatment.
Easy to Ignore
Low Awareness
Poor Treatment
This usually happens during normal walking.
Though it doesn't hurt much for most sprains, it does lead to more severe injuries and inconvenience in life and potential chronic pain after several years of untreatment.
User Research
Many users choose to ignore it. Why?
Individuals commonly attempt self-diagnosis and self-treatment but often abandon these efforts due to a lack of improvement.
Home training
Foot bath
Osteopathy / massage
Special shoes
Ankle support accessories
...
Average Patient Journey
Even for those who opt for professional treatment, the high time and financial expenses often create significant obstacles to their continued care.
What leads individuals to discontinue ankle training?
User
Many users believe ankle training isn't worth the effort, prioritizing other activities instead.
Current Solutions
Current solutions require users to make an extra effort to train their ankles and lack effective feedback and consistency in training routines.
Ankle
Their flexibility makes proper training complex.
Strategize Training
Ankle Training: Simple, Convenient, Effortless
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Understand Training Tools
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Collaborate With Physical Therapist
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Define Using Scenario
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Set Design Principles
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Set Design Aesthetics
Form 0-1
What should the new training tool look like?
Direction Testing and Co-creation Workshop
1hr * 12 users
Concepts | Round 2
Human Factors
Distance between two feet when an average adult is sitting on a chair can vary depending on individual body proportions and the specific chair design. However, a rough estimate would be approximately 30 to 40 centimeters (12 to 16 inches).
Platform Angle: The footrest should have an adjustable angle to allow users to find a comfortable position. A slight tilt of around 15 to 20 degrees downward from horizontal is often recommended.
Platform Height: The footrest should be adjustable in height to accommodate different leg lengths and seating positions. The ideal height is typically around 10 to 15 centimeters (4 to 6 inches) off the ground.
How It Works
Innovatively, Magneflex utilizes programmable magnet patterns to provide a comprehensive three-dimensional resistance system designed specifically for ankle training purposes.
The ball pads, larger in size, emphasize flexibility and proprioception training. Upon activation, these pads elevate and the magnet pattern inside generate varying resistance from different directions, offering flexible resistance for ankle training. The ball pads incorporates chamfers for both the pad bottom and the storage section, ensuring secure button placement from plying out and facilitating resetting of the pads for subsequent presses.
The heel pads specialize in enhancing proprioception and ankle strength. They feature a smaller silhouette to effectively target exercises such as ankle lifts. When activated, users engage by pressing their heels down to train strength and gain awareness of the posterior side of the ankle.
Concepts | Round 1
Visualization
What is Magneflex?
