Our group innovation was the creation of Medibration. Medibration is an app that specialises in assisting people that are struggling with mental illness, specifically anxiety. The app when used via the individual’s mobile phone, aims to help them calm down and relax when in stressful situations, which is often a frequent cause for anxiety attacks and related illness.
But in particular our main group innovation, was a touch-sensitive sticker, roughly the size of a business card that can be stuck on the back of a phone, or even on the back of a wallet. It could go anywhere. This sticker, when linked with the mobile app or smart watch, can be used to support those struggling with anxiety or even breathing difficulties (such as a panic attack) by sending off vibrational patterns that the individual can follow in order to help them steady their breathing and resume life as normal.
We found significant research highlighting the benefit of vibrational therapy for anxiety and depression. The massaging effect of the vibrative patterns initiates an increase in Dopamine and Serotonin levels, therefore providing an aid to the individual struggling.
It was a slight struggle deciding on what innovation to go with initially, my group were set on creating a product that helped others, but we had so many ideas, it took awhile for us all to agree on a product that is innovating, realistic and that still assists people who are struggling with things. We wanted to create a product that was easily accessible, affordable and provide the individual with a support space that is full of information for long- and short-term use.
One in five Australians aged 16 – 85 experience a mental illness every year, with anxiety disorder being one of the most common occurring. We believe that access to treatment is integral as approximately 75% of individuals admitted to public sector mental health services improve notably. It is important for those that are struggling to seek help.
Whilst an app is not new to the world, we decided on the vibrative sticker because a touch sensitive product is something that has never been done before for anxiety disorders. Partnered with the app, it gives individuals the ability to access via their devices to specifically focus on one specific thing. Through research, we also found that out of the top 10 mental health apps, none use vibration therapy – even though evidence of its benefit exists.
We also concluded some possible issues that could arise from Medibration. Some being mostly stock standard issues that is warned with all items you buy, such as quality, lifetime of product or even individuals may not find it to be user friendly to their particular liking. Some other issues we came up with could be the physical make of the sticker and possibly it heating up as it is being constantly used, or even users could become too dependant on the app and rely on it for treatment rather than professional help.
In conclusion, Medibration is a product designed to help people when they are struggling. Anxiety is something that can take over an individual’s life and when they don’t seek help or assistance, it can negatively impact on their health and well being. Being one of a kind product and idea, Medibration and its touch sensitive sticker aims to assist when the times are tough.
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