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Project Ideation
Project Ideation
1- Tell us about the purpose of your project. Which problem does it solve? Why do you care about this? What were you inspired by? Include images and videos of similar projects
1- Tell us about the purpose of your project. Which problem does it solve? Why do you care about this? What were you inspired by? Include images and videos of similar projects
Back pain caused by prolonged sitting
Office team stretching together
A general health complaint
A general health complaint
Many people around me working in an office have neck/shoulder/and or lower back pain. (Is this part of aging!? I don't think so.) When you sit longer than an hour, it is advised by many health studies that you should stand up and do some stretches before sitting again.
Many of us know that stretching is something we have to do to feel better. Yet why don't we do what is good for us?
The idea
The idea
With my prototype, I want to introduce a playful visual reminder in the office space to stretch. I care for this idea especially because many of my loved ones and friends in their thirties are currently struggling with these health issues. And although we all know (to varying extends) the importance of stretching and doing physical exercise, it is hard to include it in our daily lives and make it a habit.
The inspiration
The inspiration
I was inspired for this project by 3 different occurrences happening in the same period:
1) Seeing family, friends and colleagues with unresolved long-lasting neck and back pain. Even though they have access to physiotherapy and exercising.
2) Reading about the power of habit. Also seeing this in practice working. My husband introduced stretching in his mourning routine, linking a 5 minute stretch while wating for the coffee maker to finish. I noticed it became a healthy habit that is still lasting 3 months later.
3) Learning about gamification. In my prototype I want to include aspects of gamification to make sure the users will be drawn to exercising and motivated to keep doing it until the power of habit kicks in.
Extra's
Extra's
Here you can read a brief recommendations of Harvard Health to help with sitting related health issues.
10 minute stretching break you can do after reading this introduction. ;)
2- Describe the project idea and general features. How would it work?
2- Describe the project idea and general features. How would it work?
I visualize a box that you can hang in the office on the wall, in a central spot at eye-level.
When you arrive at work or before you sit down at your desk, you press the on button. (Or it can be timed to start working at 10 am for example. Every x minutes or 2 times a day, a short alarm goes off indicating to stand up and go to the box.
Inside the box, behind a see through screen, there is a rotating band with illustrations. The illustrations show different stretches for the main muscle groups affected by sitting behind a computer. After hearing the alarm, you can press start to indicate you (and colleagues) are ready to start. The band turns around and stops for x time at each stretch pose. The illustrations are colorful and engaging. The total time is only 5-10 minutes.
When the whole stretching routine is finished, you can press the complete button. The drawing band then moves to the final fun picture showing a nice illustration or photo which will be there majority of the time when inactive, making it a nice contribution to the office. A catchy short music is played and a reward comes out of the box. (This reward can be filled each day by the office manager or someone of the team, making it a surprise what comes out.)
A manual box
3- Sketch your project: You may use pen and paper or a simple sketching tool like Microsoft Paint or Photoshop
3- Sketch your project: You may use pen and paper or a simple sketching tool like Microsoft Paint or Photoshop
Design 1 - Reward distribution inside?
Design 2 - Reward distribution external?
Project Planning
Project Planning
4- Describe the Technical Modules that your project consists of
4- Describe the Technical Modules that your project consists of
Construction Parts
The box will be made from 3mm plywood, which will be designed in Fusion360 as a 2,5D design and cut by the laser machine. The gears that will move the paper roll will be 3D printed with PLA, or also cut from plywood. The illustrations will be printed on paper. To connect the box panels, I will use nuts and screws.
Input
(Sensing, Tactile Input, and/or Graphical Input)
The stretching box will work with a timer. After the timer goes off the user will have to press the start button to start the movement. After finishing the stretching routine, the user will have to push the finish button to play a fun melody and activate the distribution of a small reward.
Action
(Physical and/or Graphic)
1- Rotating paper on roll with illustrations demonstrating the stretches
2- Alarm/Short music to announce start from a speaker
3- Different hourly alarm to remind/invite office people to stand up and go for a drink or walk around before sitting down again.
Speaker
Start/Finish button
Motor to rotate illustrations on roll
Brain
The Arduino board will take the input when the start button is pushed and start the motor movement. The Arduino will also work as a timer. It should also make a valve open if we choose to include the reward system. RTC TIMER DS1307 will keep the time.
Power Management
A 9 volt adaptor, so the stretch machine can be on standby and work 24/7. I think this will make it more user friendly than a battery. The motor that will move the roll will use too much electricity for a battery to have a long life.
5- Create a cardboard prototype of your project, demonstrating the project face as well as internal movements and mechanisms. Include a demo video and photos of the prototype.
5- Create a cardboard prototype of your project, demonstrating the project face as well as internal movements and mechanisms. Include a demo video and photos of the prototype.
Front view - user interface
Uninstalled
Side panel with on/off switch and charging port
Back panel with hanging slot to hang on wall
Zoom in user interface
Inside box - slots to keep roll in place. Left space for motor, arduino, motor driver, stereo, switches, bigger roll with illustrations
Demo video of the stretchbox: HERE
Link to the initial stretch illustrations: HERE
6- Categorize your project’s User Features into: Minimum, Complete, and Nice-to-have features. List the required action and input components per feature.
6- Categorize your project’s User Features into: Minimum, Complete, and Nice-to-have features. List the required action and input components per feature.
Minimum Features: are the least amount of features that would demonstrate the coverage of all the technical modules and their complete integration
Complete Features: are the set of features that will complete your original project objective and vision
Nice-to-have Features: are the extra set of features that will make the project cooler, yet they need extra time, effort, and/or resources to finish
Minimum User Features
alarm goes off to indicate start of stretch session.
Action: sound through speaker
Sensing: none
User Input: None
Start button to be pushed when colleagues are ready in front of the box
Action: Motor starts turning to move the illustrations panorama showing the stretching poses
Sensing: none
User Input: press button
Finish button to play a fun tune and move the panorama back to start position which is a nice picture or photo of the office team?
Action: Motor turns to final picture and plays positive tune.
Sensing: none
User Input: press finish button
Complete User Features
Timer every hour to give a sound notification notifying people to stand up and walk or get a drink before sitting again
Action: sound through speaker
Sensing: none
User Input: none
Acrylic screens to keep the paper illustrations tidy and smooth while passing the screen.
Action: Keep paper wrinkle free and clean
Sensing: none
User Input: none
Small led light to indicate the device is on and working?
Action: Light burning to show it is plugged in
Sensing: none
User Input: plug in ig plugged out previous day
Nice-to-have User Features
Reward for finalizing the daily stretch session
Action: Motor rotates a door in a cylindrical box to release some small treats
Sensing: none
User Input: Press finish button
Screen instead of paper illustrations
Action: Shows the stretching moves after pressing start
Sensing: none
User Input: Press start button
I like to keep it vintage and illustrations on paper though. And more low cost.
7- What are the project tasks and its time-frame?
7- What are the project tasks and its time-frame?
Task
Sub-Tasks
From:
To:
Make the circuit on tinkercad
6/9
6/9
Work on code for the project
6/9
6/9
Make the circuit on breadboard
6/9
Design the rotating belt parts
7/9
7/9
Draw the gears and rolls for 3D printer
7/9
7/9
Print the gears and rolls
8/9
8/9
Draw the box enclosure
9/9
9/9
Make the box enclosure
10/9
10/9
Make the drawings for the stretchbox
Print and attach in loop
31/8
10/9
Install the electronics in the box
10/9
11/9
Cut the acrylic
8/9
9/9
Install all parts and finish box
finishing touches
13/9
14/9
8- What are the required electronic components and materials for the project?
8- What are the required electronic components and materials for the project?
Component/Material
Amount
Link
Light bulb
1
3D printed gears and rolls (PLA)
4
Plywood 3 mm
4 sheets
provider of the lab
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