Stableize

Stableize is a project made for people affected by vestibular disorders and balance issues to help them improve their balance by using the Stableize app and/or the Stableize Balance Band.

Comment

Inspiration

For PoweringSTEMHacks, we wanted to focus on helping those with vestibular disorders. We also knew we wanted to incorporate Machine Learning and an Arduino into our final product, thus the birth of Stableize.

What it does

Stableize is a project made for people affected by vestibular disorders and balance issues to help them improve their balance by using the Stableize app and/or the Stableize Balance Band.

How we built it

We began with a long brainstorming session, leading to us deciding on focusing our hackathon project on helping those with vestibular disorders. For this hackathon, we wanted to challenge ourselves by using 3 different technologies: an Arduino, machine learning, and 3D modelling (Blender). We concluded our brainstorm with 2 products: a device (Balance Band) created using an Arduino that uses sensors to detect and notify the user if they are tilting, and an iOS app (Stableize App) that pairs with the Balance Band and utilizes machine learning to allow users to practice and improve their balance with feedback. We divided up the tasks and went straight to work; collecting videos, building our balance band with the Arduino, and modelling the device on Blender. During this process, we utilized Apple’s “Detecting human actions in a live video feed” sample code and adjusted it to integrate our own machine learning model into the app. As for the Balance Band, we used an Arduino, tilt sensor, LED light and the Arduino Tilt Sensor Tutorial from Autodesk Instructable to create a device that lights up to notify when the user is tilting too much when they walk or stand.

Challenges we ran into

We had the most trouble figuring out what we wanted to do for our project. There were many ideas that were tossed back and forth and a lot of research done highlighting pressing issues and modern innovations; however, once we figured out what we wanted to do we were able to take off and get to work immediately!

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud of the way we challenged ourselves to utilize complicated technologies and for creating high quality products in the given timeframe. We worked really hard during the course of this hackathon and are proud of how efficiently we worked in sharing ideas and completing the assigned tasks.

What we learned

This was the first hackathon project we have done using an Arduino. Figuring out how to piece together the different parts was a great learning experience for us and taught us a lot about machinery and engineering. As a team, we also learned how to allocate tasks and work efficiently and cooperatively.

What's next for Stableize

We have many ideas for the future of Stableize! Stableize has the potential to become a staple in the medical industry in helping people with balance! Stableize has the potential to expand to helping seniors through creating additional apps utilizing machine learning with features catered towards them such as exercises that help with stiff joints or memory. Stableize can also expand to the athletics industry and help athletes improve their balance, along with additional features such as stretches to relieve muscle soreness that would also utilize machine learning to provide live feedback. The Stableize Balance Band also holds a bright future with potential to become a real product that benefits those who need it. Note that we only had enough materials to make one sensor for one side of the Balance Band. In the final product of the Balance Band, there would be two Arduino sensors on each side of the user’s torso to detect tilting from both sides.

Share this project:

Updates