E-Orthosis
Figure: (a) E-Orthosis construction kit supports (b) ironing circuit on 3D surfaces of orthoses and (c) magnetically attaching components. (d) It augments of-the-shelf orthoses with smart functions such as ftness and wearing time monitoring. (e) It allows healthcare functions with electrodes and is compatible with orthoses made from versatile materials of varying thicknesses.
Abstract
Orthoses with electronic functions have emerged as a promising medical product in response to the increasing demand for rehabilitation training, therapy assistance, and health monitoring. However, fabricating this “smart orthosis” often requires long development cycles and exorbitant prices. We introduce E-Orthosis, an integrated fabrication approach with construction toolkits for healthcare professionals to quickly embed electronics in off-the-shelf orthoses with customized functions cost-effectively and time-efficiently. Specifically, we develop components with magnets and pogo pins to support rapid attachment and sustainable use, and textile-based electrodes with snap installation to improve the wearing experience. We also provide a circuit iron tool to apply circuit traces on complex surfaces of orthoses directly and a hot punch tool to embed magnet ports and electrodes. Three application examples, technical evaluations, and expert reviews demonstrate the functionality of E-Orthosis and the potential for democratizing rapid-developed and low-cost smart orthoses for patients.
Figure: The pipeline of utilizing E-Orthosis kits to integrate electronics on an orthosis.
For more details, please refer to the video and paper linked at the bottom of this page.
Authors
Yue Yang, Lei Ren, Chuang Chen, Xinyue Wang, Yitao Fan, Yilin Shao, Kuangqi Zhu, Jiaji Li, Qi Wang, Lingyun Sun, Ye Tao, Guanyun Wang
Publication Information
Conference: CHI '23 (Proceedings of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems)
Date: 19 April 2023
DOI: 10.1145/3544548.3581471.
Notes
This was my first project in the fabrication field, where I primarily provided visual support while also learning a great deal about fabrication techniques. I’m especially grateful to Dr. Yang for her invitation and guidance throughout this project. Through this experience, I gained a basic foundation in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). I also learned how to take an idea and develop it into a full research project, as well as how to effectively manage a team. These skills have been invaluable in preparing me to lead future research and projects of my own.