Gaurav Singh

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To explore and conceptualise a series of reimagined everyday furniture that enhances rehabilitees' practices of situated negotiation with their settings, fostering active engagement in physical rehabilitation exercises by leveraging embedded and pervasive technology, personal informatics, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Physical inactivity has become a major concern in India, with a large number of people undergoing physical rehabilitation facing challenges in motivation and engagement. Inspired by observed practices of situated negotiation, this project aims to reimagine everyday furniture to support out-of-clinic rehabilitation exercises and promote healthier lifestyles.

The research team conducted a thorough analysis of the problem space, engaging in activities such as brainstorming, mind-mapping, and secondary research to understand emerging trends in personal informatics, IoT, ambient displays, pervasive computing, wearable technology, and smart homes. The team also gathered insights into the barriers, misconceptions, and motivations related to exercise and rehabilitation.

Key findings from the research revealed that incorporating exercise into daily routines is challenging, as it is often considered a separate task. Misconceptions about exercise persist, with many people feeling self-conscious, intimidated, or too unfit for exercise. Data with statistics and numbers can be intimidating and not desired, while pain is often the primary incentive for exercise. Moreover, there is a lack of knowledge about the importance of posture and proper exercise techniques.

ReFurn, a series of reimagined everyday furniture, is designed to seamlessly integrate into the user's environment, enabling the reconfiguration of existing furniture and exercise props. The solution focuses on personalization, adapting to each user differently and providing instant feedback and acknowledgement. By leveraging alternative feedback mechanisms such as ambient displays, sound, and haptic feedback, the solution aims to motivate and inspire users to pursue their exercises, ultimately enhancing their rehabilitation experience without disrupting their routines.

Through ReFurn, we reimagined everyday furniture to enhance rehabilitees' situated negotiation practices, supporting their engagement in physical rehabilitation exercises in out-of-clinic settings. By leveraging emerging technologies and personal informatics, the project aims to foster improved health outcomes and quality of life for rehabilitees, while addressing key barriers and misconceptions related to exercise and rehabilitation. The concepts attempted to incorporate seamless integration, personalization, instant feedback, and motivation, offering users a tailored and engaging rehabilitation experience.