Design for Dysphagia: a new hardware-and-software mobile system to monitor patients’ swallowing

Abstract

Dysphagia - the medical term for the symptom of difficulty in swallowing - can lead to serious health problems and psychosocial issues. Swallowing disorders impact the health and quality of life of millions of people around the world, which results in significant management and labour costs for the welfare sector. In this paper, we describe the concept for a new hardware/software mobile system to monitor patients’ swallowing. The system, designed by a user-centred approach and an interdisciplinary team of clinicians, industrial designers, and engineers, will help patients with dysphagia deal with their rehabilitation at home, safely and autonomously. The intent is to provide an application and a device for healthcare professionals to aid them in managing the care of dysphagic patients, as well as providing support for both caregivers, and patients themselves. Through this interactive system, patient and doctor are in constant contact and the application informs the doctor, or therapist, etc., about the imminent risk factors, in order to be able to act immediately in risky situations. This paper presents the study and the realisation of a suitable and ergonomic design, able to integrate technological features useful to the detection of salient parameters, taking into consideration the psychological repercussions on users and how easily they would accept the solutions offered. This research tries to define, through the form and the functions of hardware and software, a new category of wearable devices, that are easy to use and useful for all involved with this pathology.