Wearable futures: designing next-generation devices for Parkinson's disease

Overview

https://research.qut.edu.au/designlab/https://research.qut.edu.au/designlab/

More than 10M people worldwide suffer from Parkinson’s disease (PD). As a neurodegenerative disease it is difficult to manage with adult-onset and slow progression with both both motor (walking problems, slowed movements, tremors, etc) and non-motor (anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, etc) symptoms. Current treatments focus on symptoms and clinical assessments based on intermittent, subjective evaluations with a 20 minute visit to a neurologist every six months. This cannot capture the daily fluctuation of symptoms effectively. Non-motor symptoms remain under-assessed and poorly monitored and there is a critical gap in obtaining continuous, objective, real-world data to inform and guide treatment and early interventions.

Wearable technology offers an interesting opportunity in this context, particularly in monitoring and supporting people with neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease. However, the success of these devices depends not only on their technological capabilities, but also on how well they are designed for comfort, usability, user experience, aesthetics, and emotional connection. This research will investigate how product design - particularly through ergonomics, materiality, form, interface design - can improve the everyday experience of wearables for people living with Parkinson’s, their carers and healthcare professionals.

Research activities

The PhD will explore how wearable technologies can be designed with key stakeholders and end-users to enhance comfort, accessibility, and usability across different stages of PD management and ultimately improve overall quality of life for end-users. Key activities include:

Literature review

Critically analyse the latest literature on Parkinson's disease, symptoms management.

Benchmarking

Benchmark existing wearable technology used for PD management, and any relevant technologies that may be used for this context (including but not limited to: textiles, micro-computing, internet-of-things, etc).

User research and co-design

Interviews, workshops, and observations with people living with Parkinson’s, carers, and medical professionals.

Prototype development

Iterative creation and refinement of wearable tech solutions, with a focus on usability, form, materiality, functionality for daily use, and emotional user experience.

Usability testing

Evaluate how the design performs in real-world scenarios to inform further refinement.

Outcomes

The aim is to improve the quality of life for people living with Parkinson's, while assisting carers and medical healthcare professionals with improved information through continuous, objective, real-world data to inform and guide treatment and early interventions.

The research will contribute to both theory and practice, creating insights into user-centred wearable design and delivering tangible solutions to improve quality of life for people living with Parkinson', their carers and for medical health professionals. Potential outcomes include:

• Improved understanding and insights into the non-motor symptoms of PD patients and the impact of daily activities and routines on thir conditions
• Development of theoretical framework on designing wearable devices specifically for people with neurodegenerative diseases, integrating comfort, usability, aesthetics, and dignity
• Insights into how individuals with Parkinson’s engage with technology over time - building theoretical understanding of trust, autonomy, compliance, and emotional connection with wearable devices
• A tested wearable prototype designed specifically for people with Parkinson’s focused on comfort, usability, aesthetics, and symptom monitoring
• Actionable insights from real-world user testing, including how people with Parkinson’s interact with wearable tech, and what design features (e.g. straps, materials, interface feedback) most impact acceptance, comfort, and adherence
• Evidence-based recommendations for healthcare providers, device manufacturers, and policy makers on how to develop and implement patient-centred wearable technologies for Parkinson’s disease monitoring

Skills and experience

Ideally you may have expertise in wearable tech, industrial design, healthcare design. It is expected you will have an interest in technology, user-centred design, inclusive design. Further, it is anticipated that the candidate will have very strong visualisation (sketching and CAD), aesthetics sensitivities and automotive design skills.

Educational background

Honours or Master degree in Industrial/Product Design, Industrial Design Engineering, or Biomedical Engineering with a Bachelors in Industrial or Product Design. Strong academic performance in previous studies is expected.

Research skills

The candidate would be expected to develop strong research skills during their studies, including the ability to conduct literature reviews, co-design, observations, interviews, surveys, gather and analyse data, and generate meaningful insights. Guidance and resources to do so will be provided. Prior experience in qualitative or quantitive research methods is desirable.

Technical knowledge

Strong capabilities in high-end visualisation, presentation, aesthetics, form, materials and textiles, experience design, and prototyping is desirable. An interest in 3D CAD, user-centred design, ergonomics, and usability is assumed. Knowledge of design software (e.g. Blender, Solidworks, Rhino, Adobe Suite, etc) is also beneficial.

Creativity and design expertise

The ideal candidate should have a passion for design innovation and exploration, with a demonstrated ability to think creatively.

Communication and collaboration

Excellent written, visual and graphic communication skills are essential for presenting research findings, writing academic papers, and collaborating. The ability to work effectively with healthcare and design professionals, academics, researchers, and other stakeholders is highly valued.

Motivation and independence

The student should exhibit self-motivation, curiosity, and the ability to work independently. Demonstrating initiative, problem-solving skills, and the ability to manage time effectively are important qualities for successful completion of the PhD program.

Scholarships

You may be eligible to apply for a research scholarship.

Explore our research scholarships

Keywords

• wearable technology
• healthcare
• co-design
• user-centred design

Contact

Contact the supervisor for more information.