RELEAF
2025
A rehabilitative device to support fine motor recovery after stroke.
Tools
Miro / Figma / Arduino / Rapid Prototyping / Mouldmaking / Branding / Graphic Design / Autodesk Fusion 360 / Autodesk Tinkercad / Adobe Illustrator / Adobe AfterEffects
Duration
9 Months
Industry
Health, Wellness, and Medical
Project Overview
Releaf is a home-based stroke rehabilitation device that supports fine-motor recovery through intuitive, guided interactions. Inspired by nature's healing process, its leaf-shaped form lights up in randomised patterns to encourage daily hand movements and improve dexterity. Designed with accessibility and motivation in mind, Releaf empowers users to rebuild confidence and independence at their own pace.
Project Overview
Releaf is a home-based stroke rehabilitation device that supports fine-motor recovery through intuitive, guided interactions. Inspired by nature's healing process, its leaf-shaped form lights up in randomised patterns to encourage daily hand movements and improve dexterity. Designed with accessibility and motivation in mind, Releaf empowers users to rebuild confidence and independence at their own pace.
Industry
Health, Wellness, and Medical
Duration
9 Months
Tools
Miro / Figma / Arduino / Rapid Prototyping / MouldMaking / Branding / Graphic Design / Autodesk Fusion 360
FEATURED ON
GRADEX 110
BACKGROUND
Strokes are the leading cause of serious, long-term disability.
Context
This project is fueled by the challenges that stroke survivors face every day as a result of inadequate or incomplete recovery. Strokes can affect individuals at any age, though they are more common in older generations, and as the North American baby boomer population move into their elderly stages of life, we can expect to see an increase in the stroke rate.
Opportunity
With rising stroke rates and an overwhelmed healthcare system, many patients risk missing out on the physiotherapy care that is crucial for their recovery. In particular, an inadequate fine-motor mobility recovery increases a patient’s dependence on caregivers, thus increasing their reliance on healthcare systems that are unprepared to effectively manage their recovery.
Opportunity
With rising stroke rates and an overwhelmed healthcare system, many patients risk missing out on the physiotherapy care that is crucial for their recovery. In particular, an inadequate fine-motor mobility recovery increases a patient's dependence on caregivers, thus increasing their reliance on healthcare systems that are unprepared to effectively manage their recovery.
RESEARCH AND DISCOVERY
The Research & Discovery phase set the foundation for this project and is presented in three parts: user research, synthesised analysis, and key insights. Together, these sections highlight the journey from understanding the broader landscape to uncovering the insights that defined the design direction.
USER RESEARCH
Interview Insights
To gain a deeper understanding of the stroke experience, I conducted interviews to uncover the lived realities, concerns, and day-to-day challenges of those involved in care and recovery. While ethics considerations prevented me from speaking directly with stroke patients, I engaged with professional and non-professional caregivers, neurophysiotherapists, occupational therapists, research students, and medical industrial designers - each offering valuable perspectives that shaped the direction of this project. Outlined below are three key insights from interviews that shaped my progress.
01
Non-professional caregivers require clear indicators to ensure physiotherapy exercises are performed correctly.
02
Empowerment of non-professional caregivers with guidance and tools is essential to enhance patient outcomes.
03
Using biomonitoring to provide real-time feedback can ensure that exercises are being performed effectively.
Caregiver Archetypes
The following diagram details the caregivers involved in the stroke recovery process.
Whilst Medical Professionals and Professional Caregivers are highly knowledgeable and skilled, their time is divided between other patients.
Long-term caregiving burdens are carried out by the Non-Professional Caregiver, who must now navigate a new life caring for their loved one after a traumatic stroke event with limited medical knowledge and training.
User Archetypes
Though individuals of all ages may experience a stroke, the following demographics are continuously overlooked in regard to rehabilitative solutions.
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Reliance on caregivers.
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May struggle with limited mobility, slower recovery times, and cognitive decline.
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Elderly poverty is a prevalent issue limiting access to rehab.
Elderly Individuals
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Often untrained and overwhelmed by responsibilities, and unsure how to provide effective support.
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Are typically family members.
Non-Professional
Caregivers
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Often caregivers whilst being patients.
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Expectations and caregiving can obstruct recovery.
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Elderly women may live alone or lack a support system.
Women
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Juggling demanding schedules, family obligations, and recovery often leads to incomplete rehabilitation.
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Require flexible and accessible solutions.
Working
Professionals
Recovery Timeline
The following diagram illustrates the typical stroke recovery timeline, synthesised from research into the different phases and care settings.
Patients are monitored in the hospital, where a team of medical professionals are involved in their diagnosis and immediate rehabilitation.
Over the next few months, rehabilitation may be moved to a clinic, where professional caregivers are involved in the recovery process.
During the chronic stage, the bulk of responsibility tends to fall on the shoulders of the non-professional caregiver to provide continuous, long-term care.
SYNTHESIS AND ANALYSIS
Literature Analysis
I conducted a literature review to understand the medical, psychological, and design dimensions of post-stroke hand rehabilitation, gathering cross-disciplinary insights to ground the project in evidence-based practice.
Affinity Mapping
I then organised these insights into an affinity map which highlighted the key themes necessary for designing something of this nature.
Competitive Landscape Analysis
To understand why this issue remains so prevalent in the post-stroke community, I examined the current rehabilitation solutions available on the market. In evaluating their strengths and limitations, I focused on factors such as cost, engagement, and ergonomics. This analysis helped me identify the key features that would inform and guide the development of my own solution.
Problem Statement
How might we empower non-professional caregivers with the support to make informed decisions, whilst providing affordable, user-friendly rehabilitation tools that track progress at home, thereby reducing the strain on healthcare?
KEY INSIGHTS
The culmination of my research - from stakeholder interviews to market analysis and synthesis exercises - revealed recurring patterns and unmet needs within stroke recovery. These findings were distilled into key insights that highlighted the gaps in existing rehabilitation practices and informed the direction of my design decisions. These insights became the foundation for the project’s progression, shaping both the concept and the solution.
Recovery should be focused and measurable.
Patient adherence to therapy is imperative, and poorly monitored therapy schemes can sometimes do more harm than good.
Recovery should be repetitive to forge new connections.
Based on the theory of neuroplasticity, where the repetition of actions with the weakened hand can combat learned non-use.
Forging connections makes these movements easier.
Empowering the patient and their non-professional caregivers is incredibly important in order to develop neuroplastic connections over time.
IDEATION AND CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
The ideation and concept development phase transformed research insights into tangible directions, exploring broad possibilities through sketching, mapping, and iteration to lay the foundation for a solution addressing stroke recovery needs.
Early Mobility Sketches
Early sketches explored what healthy hand mobility looks like, focusing on gestures and ranges of motion such as flexion, extension, and finger coordination. These drawings served as a reference point for understanding the types of movements that rehabilitation tools should encourage, helping to translate clinical goals into tangible design considerations.
Early Solution Sketches
Alongside researching hand mobility, I produced early sketches of potential solutions, ranging from handheld devices to broader rehabilitative concepts. These explorations allowed me to quickly visualize ideas, compare different approaches, and assess how form, function, and usability might come together. This stage was key in sparking possibilities and setting the groundwork for more refined design directions.
Concept Exploration
In order to determine a concept direction, I decided to experiment with different microelectronics. I utilised flex sensors, force sensors, and capacitive touch sensors to explore movement, strength, and sensitivity respectively. The breadth of this exploration provided me with a deeper understanding of the microelectronic capacities that I could work within.
Exploring Movement
This concept mapped a flex sensor to five LEDs that lit up in sequence with hand movement. It was sewed to a glove to test its responsiveness.
OVERALL FINDINGS
The concept showed promise, but the sensors were inconsistent and produced noisy data. Still, the process revealed the sensitivity needed to capture subtle hand motions.
Exploring Force
My second concept embedded force sensors in a silicone hand rest, creating a soft, non-slip device with built-in resistance to reduce discomfort.
OVERALL FINDINGS
Testing with users of varying hand strengths showed the need to calibrate sensitivity for gradual progression, with lower initial thresholds for weaker grips.
Exploring Sensitivity
This prototype used tin-foil touch sensors coded as capacitive inputs, encouraging users to engage with the device and practice hand movements.
OVERALL FINDINGS
Testing with limited mobility revealed the device was difficult to hold without table support, highlighting the need to revise its ergonomics for comfortable use in the hand.
Prototype Testing
I evaluated prototypes through bodystorming, replicating mobility limitations to anticipate user challenges. At an exhibition in the CF Toronto Eaton Centre, feedback from attendees offered diverse perspectives and lived experiences that broadened my understanding and informed the design.
Storyboarding
By this stage, I was beginning to visualise how an app and device could work seamlessly with a user's daily life. The following storyboard outlines a potential scenario.
PROTOTYPING
The prototyping phase translated ideas into tangible models — from low-fidelity tests to functional prototypes — to refine ergonomics, interaction, and usability. This hands-on process bridged concept and reality, evolving the design through iteration and feedback.
Form Exploration
I began form exploration with Play-Doh models, using the material’s flexibility to quickly shape and test different ergonomics for the device.
Theme Exploration
I decided to map out how each of these could translate to a brand identity, and the possibility of a larger story that could relate to my device.
Rapid Prototyping
I refined the device’s form through rapid prototyping in Fusion 360, 3D printing over 60 models in PLA, PETG, and resin. Each millimetre-level iteration allowed me to evaluate ergonomics, proportions, and usability through hands-on testing.
Button Development
The buttons were developed in flexible TPU, refined through millimetre-level iterations to balance comfort, durability, and reliable tactile feedback.
Material Exploration
A silicone outer sleeve was added to improve comfort, grip, and overall usability of the device. This sleeve was cast from a bespoke plaster mould that I made. Several iterations were developed with different silicones to get a perfect sleeve.
Circuitry Integration
Using Arduino, I coded a Simon Says game where button presses trigger randomised light patterns that users must memorise and replicate. This repetition engages both motor skills and cognition, supporting the rebuilding of neuroplastic connections over time.
APP INTEGRATION
The Releaf app was designed as a gentle, visually approachable guide. By translating complex rehabilitative information into digestible, step-by-step interactions, the app supports consistency while reducing cognitive load.
Low-Fidelity Wireframes
I began by drawing a basic wireframe of what the app could look like. This allowed me to roughly visualise the necessary screens.
Medium-Fidelity Wireframes
In this prototype, I mapped out where text and images could go. I then used comments received from an interview with an occupational therapist to refine the problems in my wireframe.
Medium-Fidelity Wireframes
In this prototype, I mapped out where text and images could go. I then used to comments received from an interview with an occupational therapist to refine the problems in my wireframe.
High-Fidelity Wireframes
The app was repeatedly iterated, with improvements in each round. Both of these versions were created before the development of the Releaf brand identity.
BRAND IDENTITY
Branding played a key role in shaping the identity of the project, ensuring it felt approachable, memorable, and aligned with its purpose. From visual elements to tone of voice, the branding was developed to create a cohesive experience that reflects the values of accessibility, growth, and empowerment.
Logo
The Releaf logo uses a minimal continuous line to form a stylized leaf that subtly resembles a hand holding the device, reinforcing the themes of touch and recovery. Its flowing curve reflects rehabilitation itself - non-linear, yet always moving forward.
Typefaces
Colour Palette
Brand Identity
TESTING AND OPPORTUNITY SPACE
The testing phase was essential in validating concepts and uncovering opportunities for refinement. By simulating user limitations and gathering feedback, I was able to evaluate usability, comfort, and effectiveness. These insights not only highlighted areas for improvement but also revealed opportunity spaces to guide the next stages of development.
Co-Design Progression
Interviews with stakeholders and public feedback from exhibitions helped distill the key considerations that guided the design process, shaping Releaf into its final form. The following insights were pivotal to designing Releaf.
01
Check-in sessions are important, and the app should be adaptable to their needs.
02
The solution needs to be flexible for a non-linear progress
03
Give patients a choice - and remind them that they are in control of their own recovery.
04
When patients are feeling discouraged, remind them they are not alone.
Service Blueprint
User Journey Mapping
Opportunity Mapping
FINAL DESIGN
The final design of Releaf brings together months of research, iteration, and testing into a device that is intuitive, motivating, and supportive of stroke recovery. Its leaf-shaped form, interactive lighting, and ergonomic details embody the project’s core values - accessibility, comfort, and empowerment.
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Introducing Releaf
REFLECTIONS
Releaf has been the most challenging and intensive project I've ever worked on. It demanded persistence, adaptability, and a willingness to navigate uncertainty. I learned how much iteration, patience, and humility it takes to carry a project of this scale from concept to reality. Each stage pushed me to grow - from diving deeply into research, to refining form through dozens of prototypes, to learning how to communicate with stakeholders and listen with openness.
This project taught me that recovery isn't about quick solutions, but about supporting a slow, layered, and deeply personal process. Progress can look like repetition, patience, and quiet resilience - the kind that happens when no one is watching. Designing for that reality meant noticing the small details: how something feels in the hand, whether it's intuitive on a difficult day, or how a screen's tone can make someone feel encouraged rather than overwhelmed.
What I carry forward is that design is not about achieving perfection, but about presence and service - meeting people where they are, not where we imagine they should be. Through testing, failure, listening, and returning again and again, I learned to anchor every decision in purpose. More than anything, Releaf showed me that good design can make people feel supported, seen, and not alone in their recovery. That, to me, is what makes the work worthwhile.
Behind the Scenes
A little look behind the scenes at all the moments that brought Releaf to life.
