CONFERENCES
E&PDE 2026 - 28th International Conference on Engineering & Product Design Education
The Conference will bring together representatives from education and industry interested in sharing new perspectives on design education.
Knowledge Base Repository
In addition to research papers, the Design Society is developing several valuable resources for those interested in the study of design. These include a repository of PhD theses, a library of case studies and transcripts of design activities, and an archive of our newsletters. Please note that these resources are accessible exclusively to Design Society members.
INCLUSIVE SOCIAL DESIGN IN PRODUCT DESIGN EDUCATION DEVELOPING THERAPEUTIC SOLUTIONS FOR SPASTICITY IN THE MEXICAN PUBLIC HEALTH CONTEXT
Marquez Cañizares, Juan Carlos; Oyervides-Ramirez, Griselda Esthela
Type:
Year:
2026
Editor:
Buck, Lyndon; Brisco. Ross; Bohemia, Erik
Author:
Series:
E&PDE
Institution:
Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico
Page(s):
79 - 84
DOI number:
ISBN:
978-1-912254-24-8
ISSN:
3005-4753
Abstract:
This proposal describes the design process and results obtained through an academic and social collaboration between Product Design students from Tecnológico de Monterrey and the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS). The project focused on developing products for patients with upper limb spasticity, a condition requiring constant therapy, which is often demotivating and involves limited accessibility to affordable equipment. The implemented methodology is an example of inclusive design and diversity in educational practice, as it compelled designers to look beyond technical specifications. Extensive ethnographic research and constant validation were carried out with various stakeholders: patients (adults and youth), family members/carers (who often provided information due to patients' language complications), therapists, and psychologists. This empathetic approach revealed that the main obstacles to recovery were the lack of motivation and psychological needs (anxiety/depression), in addition to the lack of tools for home therapy. The resulting solutions (such as ARMS, MindFit, Fonbu, Mino, MelodiX, and Kinisi) integrated elements of gamification and cognitive stimulation with occupational therapy to encourage constancy and social interaction. This work demonstrates how user diversity (physiological, psychological, and social) becomes the driver for radical innovation in design education, equipping future designers to address public health problems with empathy and more holistic solutions.
Keywords:
