ORB SPORT,
Advanced wearable technology
The Company:
ORB Sport Smart Mouthguard is a revolutionary mouthguard designed to track performance and wellness metrics specifically for contact and combat sport athletes. It monitors key data points such as heart rate and head impacts, providing athletes with crucial insights to train smarter and push their limits safely.
The Problem:
In the world of contact and combat sports, traditional wearables are often banned, leaving athletes without the means to track their fitness and performance data.
The Personas:
Our primary users are dedicated contact and combat athletes of all competitive levels. We discovered that individuals who invest significant time in their sport are more inclined to adopt and benefit from our product. ORB Smartguard is designed to cater to all serious athletes, not just the elite.
MVP to Version 1.0.1
At Wondr Medical, the head of Product and I, in conjunction with the rest of the product team created many future visions of the product based on real insights we had gathered. We understood that a vision is a dynamic concept, continuously adapting to new insights and business opportunities. It remains a journey without a final destination, driving our team's excitement for upcoming projects. Below is a recent sample of one of the visions we created, this looked two years ahead. Once this was agreed upon on a leadership level, we shared with the entire company.
Version 1.0.1
Creating the interface for the worlds first smart mouthguard.
Constraints:
- We had a strict deadline of 6 months to launch the app.
- The app needed to be compatible with existing hardware and firmware to ensure seamless integration.
Competitor Research:
We delved deeply into the landscape of wearable technologies by studying market leaders such as Whoop, Fitbit, and Polar. In addition, we examined popular sports and fitness apps like Strava and Apple Health to benchmark industry standards and user expectations.
Usability Testing:
To ensure our designs met user needs, we conducted usability testing with 20 users using Figma prototypes. This process allowed us to identify and resolve significant issues early on, validate our design assumptions, and gather valuable user insights.
Refine Designs:
Our research highlighted several key areas for improvement. We found that some metrics were not easily understood by users. Additionally, users greatly valued the trends section and expressed a strong desire to share their data with coaches and integrate it with other fitness apps. These insights were instrumental in refining our designs to enhance usability and user satisfaction.
COVERTING DATA SCIENCE TO ATHLETES
Translating raw data science to usable and actionable insights
When designing the application, we had to carefully navigate the boundary between a sports application and a medical device. As designers, our goal was to provide users with all possible insights from the mouthguard to enhance safety and performance. However, from a business perspective, we ensured the impact data only reflected what the mouthguard experienced, even if it was less detailed for the athlete.
To clarify the intentionally vague impact section, we added an explanatory sheet detailing the data collection and validation process for measuring head impacts accurately over time. This solution emerged from a collaborative workshop with our CTO, data scientists, and firmware engineers.
COMPLEX USER FLOW
Firmware updater feature
Initially, firmware updates for the device were limited to the manufacturing process, which posed a challenge for long-term scalability and user experience. To address this, I designed and implemented a firmware updater feature, allowing users to update the mouthguard's firmware directly from their phone via Bluetooth.
While the UI design may appear straightforward, developing this feature required addressing multiple technical and user-experience challenges:
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Battery Dependency: The mouthguard’s limited battery life posed a significant risk. If the device ran out of battery mid-update, it could render the mouthguard unusable (“bricking” the device).
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Bluetooth Connectivity: Bluetooth’s inherent instability created additional risks
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Error Handling: Ensuring the user’s mouthguard remains operational even in failure scenarios
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User Education: Since firmware updates were a new feature, users needed guidance
The firmware updater feature significantly enhanced the Smart Mouthguard’s usability and lifecycle. It reduced reliance on manufacturing interventions for updates, improving scalability and user satisfaction. Feedback highlighted the clarity and ease of the update process, while robust error-handling mechanisms minimised risks of device failure.
COVERTING TO ANDROID
IOS to Material Design 3
We initially focused on developing the iOS version of the app to leverage the platform's robust ecosystem and user base. This allowed us to quickly launch and gather early feedback from users. Recognising the significant market opportunity, we swiftly designed and developed the Android version of the app. This move was crucial in tapping into a larger user base and maximising our market reach. The development of both iOS and Android versions opened up a substantial business opportunity in the US market. By catering to users on both platforms, we positioned ourselves to better serve a diverse and expansive customer base, significantly enhancing our growth potential.
