WIM

A New Type of Interactive Stroke Therapy

About WIM

15 million people suffer from stroke worldwide. A stroke is a sudden death of brain cells that can leave half of your body paralyzed. This state is called hemiplegia. Immediate, continuous, and correct rehabilitation is crucial to fully recover. After a stroke, the brain automatically tries to compensate actions that would normally require movements on the affected side with movements on thehealthy side. However, compensation leads to disabilities that the patient can hardly ever overcome. The brain is flexible, but it needs to be forced to “rewire” its neural network. This can be achieved by training the affected side continuously. After receiving first immediate therapeutic assistance at a rehabilitation center, new challenges start once the patient arrives at home. At this point, many patients feel a lack of motivation to exercise without the therapist’s support and miss the reminders they received at the rehabilitation center.
WIM is a new type of interactive stroke therapy empowering and supporting patients’ recovery at home. It is a nonstigmatizing training kit that aims to improve stroke patients’ fine motor skills and is prescribed by the therapist. Thanks to its tracking armband, WIM becomes a helpful companion with personality and offers an advanced, personalized therapy in the comfort of the home. Supported by a shared application, WIM enables continuous communication between patient and therapist. WIM is focusing on playful training of the brain. It uses guiding lights, sounds, and vibrations in combination with muscle tracking technology; this feedback enables WIM to “come alive”, address all affected senses and adapt each session to the patient’s needs. This approach makes
therapy fun and interesting for the patient throughout the lengthy time of home recovery.

Designer

Thomas Helmer

Since 2015 Studies at Umeå University, Institute of Design, Advanced Product Design (MFA),
Umeå, Sweden
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2011 - 2015 studies at Hochschule für Gestaltung Schwäbisch Gmünd, Industrial Design (BA),
Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany
2015 work for Carl Zeiss Smart Optics GmbH, Industrial Design, Aalen, Germany
2015 - 2018 studies at Umeå University, Institute of Design, Advanced Product Design (MFA),
Umeå, Sweden
2016 - 2017 internship at Philips Design Department, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Since 2017 internship at frog design, Milan, Italy

Contact: thomas_helmer@icloud.com

Jenny Holmsten

Since 2015 Studies at Umeå University, Institute of Design, Advanced Product Design (MFA),
Umeå, Sweden
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2012 - 2015 studies at Umeå University, Institute of Design, Industrial and Product Design (BFA),
Umeå, Sweden
2014 intern at Zenit Design, Industrial Design, Malmö, Sweden
2015 - 2018 studies at Umeå University, Institute of Design, Advanced Product Design (MFA),
Umeå, Sweden
2016 intern at AISIN Seiki - Toyota group, Product Design, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
2016 - 2017 intern at frog design, Industrial Design, Munich, Germany
Since 2017 intern at Philips, Healthcare innovation program, Industrial Design, Eindhoven,
The Netherlands

Contact: jenny.holmsten@gmail.com
device = mobile