Smart Leg Ulcer Treatment
MFA Thesis collaboration with Coloplast
Umeå Institute of Design
Jan - Jun 2020
Recognition
Core77 Design Awards 2021 - Student Runner Up
Background
An ulcer is an open wound that remains unhealed, even after weeks of treatment. These types of wounds require a long process of treatment due to other underlying health problems.
Having an unhealing, painful and often infected wound decreases patients’ life quality significantly. During a treatment, which could last for months, patients experience a lot of emotional and physical challenges.
Concept
Deva is a design concept proposing the use of smart sensors in wound care treatment in a way that it will improve the communication between patients and nurses, by providing information and guidance.
The ecosystem consists of a smart wound patch that will turn any wound dressing today into a “smart” one, an electrostimulation therapy sock and digital platforms where the information will be available.
What is a leg ulcer?
A leg ulcer has been defined as a wound to the lower leg that remains unhealed after 4-6 weeks.
All factors related with poor blood circulation; such as heart disease, diabetes, and vascular disease, will increase the risk of having an ulcer.
So what is the problem today?
“Patients and caregivers should first understand that the whole treatment requires time and patience.”
Yurdagul Gurbuz, Wound Care Nurse, Turkey
“It’s like being on a diet - you have to continue the treatment without knowing when or if the ulcer will be healed.”
Ulcer Patient, Turkey
CORE IDEA
Improving the long and challenging journey of leg ulcer treatment by bringing smartness into the process
DEVA
Deva is a design concept proposing the use of smart sensors in wound care treatment in a way that it will improve the communication between patients and nurses, by providing information and guidance.
The goal is to make healing visible and understandable to the patients and communicating the message that they can help their wounds to heal.
The ecosystem consists of smart wound tags that will turn any wound dressing today into a “smart” one, a wearable and digital platforms where the information on the wound status will be available.
Where is the smartness?
Dressing Tags
Disposable 3D printed wound tags will include electrodes and will be placed on top of the wound. These electrodes will carry the information from the wound bed to the sensors to process once it is connected to the wearable.
How to apply?
Step 1
The wound tag will be sticked on a regular wound dressing after the protection film on the front side is removed. It can be placed both vertical and horizontal depending on the wound shape and size.
Step 2
After removing the last protection layer on the back, the wound dressing and the tag together will be placed on top the wound.
What is inside?
Size
The wearable will be available in 3 different sizes and 2 different options that will fit upper and lower leg.
Making healing visible
By tracking the patient’s daily routines, app could use the data from wound situation to give tailored tips and information to the patient.
Learn & Improve
Knowing which daily habits and routines would help the body’s ability to heal itself, patients would get an understanding of what and how to improve.
Subscription Model
The wearable will arrive with two rechargable batteries, a charging cable and a code to use with the Deva app.
At the end of the treatment, products will be sent back to Coloplast as the subscription ends.
This online platform would show patient’s information such as address, phone number, detailed medical condition with the data from the sensors as well as the nurses training and visiting schedule.
THE PROCESS
Research
Interviews with 16 healthcare professionals, shadowing a wound care nurse & journey mapping with an ulcer patient.
Ideation
User Journeys
I have created a “50 days of wound care treatment” scenario together with a nurse from Sweden, and mapped out the barriers, touchpoints, emotions and behind-the-scene actions of this journey.
Designing for Behaviour Change
According to Fogg’s behaviour model; a motivation, a trigger and an ability should happen at the same time to have a change in people’s behavior. Understanding this model during ideation helped me to illustrate how I should position the elements of my final scenario.
Refinement & Validation
Thanks for visiting!
This material is the work of Birnur Sahin as part of her Master Thesis submitted at Umeå University created in collaboration with Coloplast A/S, Denmark. The views expressed in the material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Coloplast A/S. The design concept presented is not cleared or approved for sale in U.S. or any market and its safety and effectiveness has not been established. Coloplast products are shown for information purposes only and should always be used in accordance with their instructions for use. Coloplast is a trademark of Coloplast A/S used with consent.
DEVA
Smart Leg Ulcer Treatment