SitSense: Intelligent Office Desk Massager for Chronic Back and Neck Pain
Year
Project Type
Product Development | UX | Branding
The approach
Research began with biopsychosocial interviews of chronic pain sufferers and medical professionals, revealing that the core problem wasn't just pain; it was loss of control and routine disruption. Privacy concerns with webcam-based detection drove a pivot to infrared thermal imaging. Foam and clay prototyping validated hand ergonomics across different grip sizes, while parallel engineering tracks tested cam-follower mechanisms and MOSFET speed control circuits independently before integration. Every major design decision (form, feature set, brand fit) was validated through iterative user feedback.
The Solution
The matte polypropylene base houses a Raspberry Pi 3B+, SSD1306 OLED display, and IR camera. When poor posture is detected, targeted stretch animations appear on screen. When pain strikes independently, the 64g massager lifts from its dock for immediate relief, with variable-intensity control accessible at the fingertip. A companion app tracks posture and stress longitudinally. Positioned within the Philips Future Office ecosystem, SitSense was developed to full production standard: DFMA documentation, UKCA compliance, and FSC-certified packaging included.
The result
A fully functioning prototype that classifies posture in real time, prompts corrective stretches, and delivers on-demand percussive massage; discreet enough for any desk, considered enough to address not just the muscle, but the anxiety and loss of agency that chronic pain brings with it.
Latest Project
