HEAD GEAR

A DEVICE FOR MIGRAINE PATIENTS

Headgear is a non-drug, preventive migraine treatment belt that gives a calm, relaxing,
stimulating effect to patients. It is designed keeping in mind both the functionality and comfort
for the user.

PROJECT TYPE DURATION TEAM

Academic 12 weeks Anmol Ohri

Arpita Kabra

MY ROLE
Project brief Research,
To study and design a cost effective product suitable for Ideation,
Migraine patients. Prototyping,
Testing

Discover
Understanding the ailment, pain points associated with it.
Existing treatment and solutions for it.

Speaking to the patients, Doctors.

Develop
Design Brainstormig to come up with ideas.

Process Make mockup models and iterate to uderstand the argonomics

and functionality of the product.

Design
Undersatnding the ergonomics of the product.

Product features
 DISCOVER

SECONDRY RESEARCH

3 RANKED GLOBALLY AS
90%
7
ABOUT
rd MOST COMMON DISEASE TH MOST DISABLING of people with migraines have
IN THE WORLD
DISEASE a family history of the condition

MOST COMMON

13% OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION

HAVE MIGRAINE HEADACHES BETWEEN 1 in 20
CHILDREN SUFFER
FROM MIGRAINES
<15 - 55 > yrs

10% OF CHILDREN 50% OF AFFECTED

WOMEN
BETWEEN <5-14> yrs SUFFER MORE THAN ONE MIGRAINE A MONTH
SUFFER FROM MIGRAINES

3x Women than Men

ESTROGEN FLUCTUATIONS 50% REMAIN UNDIAGONISED
IN THE FEMALE BODY AFFECTS 1 IN 7 OR UDERNTREATED
PATIENTS
MAKE WOMEN MORE LIKELY
TO SUFFER FROM MIGRAINES
PEOPLE WORLDWIDE

WHAT IS MIGRAINE

Pain often focussed Intense pulsing

on one sides of head or throbing

Nausea and Sensitivity to

dizziness or light sound
vomiting and odors

Can last Disabling and

for days recurring headaches
Created by Liswati
from the Noun Project

SYMPTOMS
4 - 72 hours OF MIGRAINE Flashing
lights and
Length of most
attacks blind spots

USER INTERVIEWS

“ Have been suffering from migraine

since the last 33 years. Have to depend
on medicnes as it starts else it becomes
worst. Most of the time i have to take

”
vaccinations for it to stop.
Meena, Homemaker, Age 57 “ The pain stops by taking medicines
within 4 hours. Pressing at temples
helps to releive it.
”Tanya, Student, Age 26

“ Started after hiting puberty. Being a

mother of 2 children and working it gets

“
very difficult for me sometimes, so have
to depend on medicines. Massaging at

”
the temples gives me much relief.
Sakshi, Teacher, Age 36
Experience nausea and vomiting everytime.
Become sensitive to Light and sound. Need
imediate care otherwise it becomes worst.
Medication and therapy are the only two
affordable solutions.
”
Suresh, businessman, Age 62

TYPES OF MIGRAINE HEADACHES

MIGRAINE MIGRAINE CHRONIC MENSTURAL

WITHOUT AURA WITH AURA MIGRAINE MIGRAINE
70-90% of people with A common type of If you experience A specific condition
migraine experience migraine featuring headache for more where the timing of
this type additional neurological than 15 days per month attacks is linked to the
symptoms mentsural cycle

HEMIPLEGIC MIGRAINE WITH ABDOMINAL CYCLICAL

MIGRAINE BRAINSTEM AURA MIGRAINE VOMITING SYNDROME
A rare condition Unusual and rare Most often seen in A syndrome that
involving temporary subtype, formerly known children, a syndrome that may be associated
weakness on one side as basilar-type migraine may be associated with with migraine
of the body migraine
EXISTING SOLUTIONS
MEDICATIONS THERAPY

There are a huge range of medica- Muscle Relaxation Acupunture

tions available to treat migraine. The
choice of medicines should always
be made on an idivisual basis.
With the guidance of a therapist the
patient learns to tightly conract and
then fully release each of the muscles
from head to toe and vice versa.
Thus stoping the body’s responce to
stress before it triggers a migraine.
Insertion of needles into specific
points on the body to relieve and treat
pain . A form of traditional chineese
medicine.

DEVICES

While there are treatments available but many people prefer non drug treatments for the same.
There plenty of devices available for Migraine pain relief. Few of them are listed below:

CEFALY ELECTRIC HEAD MASSAGER CERENA TMS

Self-adhesive
electrode

the device
magnetically
connected to it.

• External Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation
device.
• Sends precise micro-impulses through the
skin to the upper branch of the trigeminal
nerve to relieve pain and prevent attacks.
• Best safety/efficacy ratio compared to
current medication for patients having
frequent attacks.
• Helmet with inbuilt massagers at different
points, where the head is gently pressed,
vibrated, warmed and massaged from top,
sides and back of head.
• Aids in head massage, head pain relief,
nervous relaxing, etc.
• Incorporates an additional feature of music.
• TMS (Transcranial magnetic stimulator)
Releases a pulse of magnetic energy to
stimulate the occipital cortex in the brain,
which may stop or lessen the migraine pain.
• Used after migraine preceded by an aura.
• The device is held against the back of the
head using both hands operated by a button.
DEVELOP

IDEATION
Initial concept sketches

We explored few designs

concepts

based on the insights a

head massager connect-
ing the temples suited
the best.

Why Therupatic device

Massage therapy helps Can have positive The effects of massage

to reduce the headache effect on stress and therapy for headaches
frequancy, intensity and sleep for indivisuals can last long after the
duration. with migraines. treatment has ended.

JOURNEY (Work in progress)

The journey from our dirty prototype to our final working prototype.

Initial
Dirty
Sketches
prototypes

Clay
massagers Building
with
motors

Defining
Working form
prototype

final
product
Iterating
and
Building
WORKING PROTOTYPE

M Seal,
Toy car tyres
used as
massagers Band with
Massagers on
left and right
side controlled
indivisually

Controller
connecting the
massager hangs
like a pendent for
easy usage

FEEDBACK
• Indivisual control for left and right side are good.
• Velcro adjustable headband helps to fit all the head sizes
• Extra pocket for batteries becomes bulky for the user
• The massager could’nt be felt much on forehead, hence it needs to be made in a better material for good grip

PRODUCT REFINEMENT
3D
printed mas-
sagers

Motors
with
gears

9V Battery

FEEDBACK
• Good functionality.
• Gives a comforting, relaxing feel to the user.
• ON/ OFF Buttons are directly positioned at the points for easy usage
• Need to use smalller motors to reduce the bulkiness.
FINAL PROPOSED DESIGN
Headgear is a non-drug, migraine treatment belt that gives a calm, relaxing, stimulating
effect to the patients.

It is meant for patients who suffer from migraine and need a preventive migraine treatment to
reduce the frequency of episodes. It is designed keeping in mind both the functionality and
comfort for the user.

Adjustable strap at the Inbuilt massagers with

Soft fabric belt that back to lock and fit well,
which makes it suitable
rests on the forehead
for all age groups
seperate connections
for both left and right Works on a 9V battery
side, indivisually
controlled by a button

MOTORS CONNECTING WIRES

MASSAGERS ON/ OFF BUTTONS

VELCRO BATTERY

PRODUCT FEATURES

Drug free Portable Low cost Low Maintanence

Easy to use

THANK YOU