Breast pumps are often used by nursing mothers as breastfeeding support in lactation. However, breast pumping is sometimes not a pleasant journey for mothers. Pump-related discomfort and pain were reported by many women. The goal of this project is to solve pump-related problems and optimise breast pumping ergonomic comfort by reducing discomfort and ultra-personalizing.

I closely studied the principles of breastfeeding/lactating, the problems mothers encountered during breast pumping, and the existing solutions and breast pump products on the market. The insights were gathered from the research, which formed the two pain points for pump-related problems: mothers lack emotional connections with breast pumps which restricts the hormone release for milk ejection reflex; the mismatch of breast pump shields causes most pain and discomfort. After analysis of the causal model and the frame innovation, the two main problems were reframed as follows: there could be more physical stimuli on the nipple and areola to make up for the shortness of psychological stimuli; the optimized pressure distribution could reduce the pain and discomfort.

To solve the two problems above, the envisioned breast pump design direction was narrowed into three perspectives: ideal breast contour achieved by 3D scanning; ideal pressure distribution based on perceived discomfort differences in different breast areas; effective physical stimuli applied on nipple and areola based on correct mechanisms (compression), intensity and local pressure sensitivity differences.

The preliminary design requirements were concluded according to the previous research. To consolidate the LoR (List of Requirements), experiments regarding breast sensitivity were implemented on 20 women to find the discomfort thresholds and lower sensory thresholds of women’s breasts. Two breast sensitivity map towards positive pressure was made to present the difference: the breast discomfort thresholds increase from the nipple top to the outer breast. The breast tactile thresholds decrease from the nipple side to the outer breast, and the sensitivity of nipple top is between the nipple base and the areola. And there are correlations between breast sensitivity and other parameters such as breast volume. Apart from that, other experiments show that a personalized perfectly-fit breast pump shield has a better force distribution than normal breast pump shields. An artificial breast was also made for further verification.

After that, concept ideas were generated and used for virtual exploration. According to the experiment conclusions and views from users and experts, a consolidated LoR (list of requirements) for a possible ultra-personalized breast pump design was made. The consolidated LoR was applied for a design proposal, which has a personalized adjustable shield shape with better pressure distribution and bigger contact areas. The design proposal was prototyped and verified on an artificial breast and compared with traditional breast pump shields. It was proved to be theoretically more comfortable than traditional breast pumps.

The project focused on improving Olympic foiling classes sailing athletes' safety: Nacra 17, iQFOiL, and IKA Formula Kite. The primary objective was to investigate dangerous circumstances with foil sailors to research the mechanisms that cause injuries and develop a design solution to prevent them. The research performed provides an integrated perspective into the subject of foil sailing safety. The research methods include participatory observational research, one-to-one interviews, multimedia evidence analysis, incident reporting archives study, and explorative retail analysis. Current wetsuits fail to protect sailors from foil strikes, as they only cover limited areas of the body. Four primary objectives are established. Impact and cut protection on the entirety of the wetsuit's surface, comfort, and aesthetics, which are two factors in attracting the use of such a suit. The product's name is Websuit 1, which is a protective wetsuit designed for Olympic foiling sailors. Full-length woven Dyneema lining is stacked with lightweight neoprene and GRDXKN foam— a mix of comfort and unprecedented protection. Results of several iterations have proven that GRDXKN can be printed on Guard Shield. Furthermore, based on the tests, 100% Dyneema lining can be bound to neoprene rubber thanks to lining glues. The proposed wetsuit manufacturing method is the same as the current one, with the addition of a GRDXKN screen printing and heating phase. Under the impact tower, the GRDXKN absorbed 56% of the maximum force applied from a 10J impact. The developed reinforced neoprene has been shown to distribute the energy over a larger surface, which decreases the stress applied to the body. Furthermore, the reinforced neoprene did not tear or break under stresses caused by 50J impacts. In contrast, conventional neoprene concentrated the applied force on a smaller area for the same energy impact and was torn. This project provided the first steps into connecting innovative textile technologies with the sailing world.

Millennials, a generation of individuals born between 1981 and 1996 that are shaping the current working class. One trait that makes millennials stand out from other generations is that their generation is the most stressed out. It is estimated that 20% of employed millennials in the Netherlands are suffering from symptoms due to stress. These symptoms include less life satisfaction, tiredness, and, most importantly, insomnia. The fact that stress causes insomnia makes stress a relevant problem for Somnox, as its mission is to help 100 million people sleep better by 2030. Somnox is a Dutch scale-up that focuses on developing companion-like innovations that improve human wellbeing through the power of breathing. The fast-growing company is on the look-out for new ideas to expand its product portfolio. One of these ideas is a portable breathing regulation device. The assignment’s initial brief was to turn this rough idea of a portable breathing device into an advanced concept design. I approached this by adopting an iterative approach in which I quickly ideated, built prototypes, and validated these with users. This approach has led to the final concept: the Somnox Mini. The Somnox Mini is a portable breathing regulation device that simulates breathing motion using robotics. By following the device’s breathing frequency, the device guides the user in slow breathing - which is a breathing exercise in which the breathing frequency is reduced to 6 breaths per minute. Research shows that breathing at this particular frequency induces a biological phenomenon called respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), which synchronizes the heart rate variability (HRV) and breathing frequency. This stimulates the body’s relaxation response. Long-term practice of slow breathing has been proven to balance overactive stress response and improve insomnia symptoms.

This project focussed on the use of smart textiles for full body posture monitoring and exploring the potential of a tight fitting catsuit to measure posture close to the body. A full body monitoring system (FBMS) that is wearable and easy to use, was found to be most relevant in the domain of first line care physical therapy(PT). As the form of the product was set in the beginning of the project, the ViP analysis was used to gain insight in the Domain of physical therapy, the context the FBMS is used, the qualities of the interactions users have with the FBMS and the features of the product. A fully textile based wearable system for monitoring postures is complex but not impossible. In terms of research in the field of wearable textiles, recent developments has shown a surge in possibilities and posture sensing abilities. The identified target users are female physical therapy patients with a young family who experience lower back pain. Prevalence of lower back issues are highest among musculoskeletal conditions and issues related to lower back pain have a large influence on the rest of the body. Here the posture changes due to poor posture behaviour, creating deformities in the body. These deformities can be measured by adapting strain resistive sensors to textile based sensors and integrated them in a tight fitting bodysuit. For this purpose, the zigzag stitch, shieldex 2-ply silvercoated yarn and 85% lycra proved most successful in obtaining a useful sensor signal. Here, posture and change in posture could be measured and provide the user with direct haptic feedback on their posture with vibration motors.

A new healthcare domain is growing which is called eHealth. eHealth solutions are getting deployed in order to tackle the ongoing problem of an increase in patients with a chronic disease in The Netherlands. Medicine Men has developed a eHealth solution for patients with chronic diseases which is called the Emma Activity Coach. This application runs on a Fitbit smartwatch and is part of the Emma system which consists out of a smartphone application called Emma.6 and a desktop application called Emma dashboard. The aim of the Emma Activity Coach and the Emma system is to empower patients with a chronic disease in monitoring their activity in their own environment with the support of an informal caregiver and a healthcare professional in order to improve the quality of life of the patient. Project focus The focus of this project is on exploring the target group of the Emma Activity Coach and its needs in order to improve the Emma system. The user interaction and experience of the user are explored. Problems that come up are translated into design iterations which result in a proposed final design that fulfils the found needs and the set design vison. The ecosystem of the project consist out of three parties: • The patient • The informal caregiver • The healthcare professional Target group Literature research and interviews with several healthcare professionals showed that the use of the Emma Activity Coach would be beneficial for patients with chronic diseases such as COPD, Type 2 diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD). The target group is characterised by comorbidity; I.e. suffers from more than one chronic disease. This means that there is an overlap of disease symptoms of which activity, and therefore the use of the Emma Activity Coach is found to be beneficial. Target group challenge and needs The target group is explored via several patient interviews who suffer from COPD and/or Type 2 diabetes, three informal caregivers and three healthcare professionals. The main challenge for the target group is knowing their activity limits in order to gain back trust in their physical and mental condition. The target group has problems with getting enough activity or sometimes getting too much activity, which is often the case for patients with COPD. Their disease makes it hard for them to recognize their limits due to constant being short of breath. The challenge of the target group is translated into four needs; the need for autonomy, security, stimulation and support. Several design criteria are setup according to these needs and translated in the concluding design vision; to make the patient feel in control of their physical and mental health condition, by providing clear feedback on their activity. Design process Several user studies with COPD patients who had experience with the use of the Emma Activity Coach on a Fitbit smartwatch were performed. Interviews, observations and user tests revealed multiple design and comprehensibility problems with the current design of the Emma Activity Coach. These problems were tackled via three iteration rounds with the target group participants. The Emma dashboard of the healthcare professional, with the focus on physiotherapists, is also explored by interviewing 4 physiotherapists who have made use or still use the Emma dashboard in combination with the Emma Activity Coach. The iteration is presented as a starting point for further development. The evaluation with the target group shows that the proposed design of the Emma Activity Coach achieves the set design vision of this project.

Asthma is a chronic disease and is characterized by inflammations of the airways. Since there is no cure available yet, asthma treatment is aimed at asthma control, to minimize patients’ symptom experiences and to prevent patients of having exacerbations (lung attacks). A key driver in this, is the extent to which patients adhere to their prescribed medication treatment, also called ‘medication adherence’. It has been found that one third of Dutch asthma patients show poor adherence to their treatment.

The client of this project, the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, has developed a smart inhaler in combination with an application. This technology makes it possible to measure medication adherence and present the adherence data to patients and healthcare providers. However, if the motivation of patients remains low to take their medication as prescribed, such interventions will likely not succeed because patients may ignore the reminders sent. Therefore, the aim of this graduation project is to develop a proof of concept for a self-management eHealth intervention that motivates patients to adhere to their medication treatment.

This thesis describes the development of Ademgenoot, an asthma self-management application connected to a smart inhaler. Ademgenoot uses narrative game-elements to motivate asthma patients to adhere to their prescribed medication treatment. In this, Ademgenoot focuses on the positive outcomes of taking the daily maintenance medication. Moreover, the application gives the patients the opportunity to try-out the daily intake of the medication, by offering them a six weeks challenge linked to a personal goal. During this period Ademgenoot visualizes the process of the medication intake in a playful way to make the effect of the medication visible and to prevent disengagement. At the end of the challenge, patients should have gained insights on the effect of the intake of the daily medication and their improved symptom control within their daily lives.

The design process from investigating the user’s needs and values to various idea directions towards the final design will be discussed. In addition, this thesis includes the different research that was conducted to gain a better understanding behind patients’ motives to not follow their treatment, the conducted research on the difficult step of motivating people to change their behaviour and the different user tests that were set up.

A WhatsApp prototype was built to test the concept of Ademgenoot in practice. Patients received screens responding to their medication use for a couple of days via WhatsApp. The end user test delivered the proof of principle that the concept of Ademgenoot has the ability to motivate patients to adhere to their prescribed treatment. In addition, participants expressed to be enthusiastic about the concept and stated that they would like to use the application in their daily life. A positive side-effect appeared to be that some participants mentioned that it would help in the creation of a habit.

Follow-up studies are recommended on finding additional ways to track the development of the patients’ daily wellbeing within the application. This and other recommendations are presented in the final part of this thesis.