PROTOTYPING

HEXO

Team info

Hanna Loschacoff

Ivy van Dongen

Isa Jansen

Helder Stompff

Nick van Geenen

Clusters

The Challenge

“According to the World Health Organisation, more than 50 million people had epilepsy worldwide in 2019. In the Netherlands, there were around 120.000 people with epilepsy in 2019 and every year around 14.000 people are diagnosed.” “An Australian study showed that about 1 in 10 people with epilepsy get injuries as a result of seizures." We decided to focus on seizure-related head injuries, the most common injury. We conducted a user study in the form of a survey with 47 epileptic patients that showed that head injuries are feared the most. Furthermore, 60% of the participants have had a head injury resulting from a seizure. However, 88% of the participants are not willing to wear protective headgear, since it is not fashionable, breathable and it makes their epilepsy visible.

The Solution

We designed HEXO, a smart safety helmet that protects the user in a discrete way. HEXO uses 4 pressure plates divided on the head to measure the impact of the fall and determine the location of the impact. The pressure plates are connected to a website via Bluetooth and the data from the fall is available on the website. The safety helmet is made with a hexagon structure which makes it light and breathable, but still good at absorbing energy to protect the user. HEXO creates the perfect balance between being lightweight, breathable, strong, and safe. Furthermore, HEXO fits every head because of the adjustable turning mechanism. HEXO allows the users to cover up the helmet with their own head accessory, making the design fashionable and personalizable. HEXO also allows users to share the data about a fall with their doctor. Many people with epilepsy don’t remember what happened during a seizure, so they don’t know how severe it was. So when they share this data, the doctor can determine if further action is needed, for example when they have a concussion.

The Mission

HEXO's mission is to reduce epilepsy-associated head injuries, short and long-term with the power of data. Being able to cover it with your own head accessories allows users to feel confident and protected while increasing their independence.