A bracelet that brings wellness to women through awareness & acceptance of reproductive health.
Inspiration
Throughout history, women have adapted to the problems surrounding their reproductive cycle. Moon Flower was inspired by every woman in the world. They all go through the same process every month, yet most are unaware of the regularities and irregularities of their bodies. We want to help bring wellness to women through awareness of their own bodies, acceptance of their unique cycles, and an easy way to remind these women to take their birth control pill.
What it does
The bracelet is equipped with a micro-processer and LED lights to alert the user of what part of the cycle they are in. Week one will be purple, week two will be green, week three amber, and week four every light will be on. This feature allows the user to become aware of their monthly cycle. The bracelet will also have a daily reminder for a user who takes daily birth control pills. The app has the capability for the operator to track their menstrual and ovulation cycle, and sexual activity. It will also allow them to track their symptoms and emotions to better their well-being.
How I built it
We 3D printed a two-piece nesting casing for our hardware (battery, processor, LED lights, etc.) that slips over a wristband made from fabric-covered [hockey helmet] straps. We programmed the processor to turn on the lights in a sequence corresponding to the different weeks in a woman’s cycle. While our physical mock-up is not fully functional, it can show the usage of the LED lights as the real product would. Also, the app we created shows the product will interact with the programmed system.
Challenges I ran into
We faced multiple challenges throughout our product development and production process. Creating a design for our product that was an appropriate size but also large enough to hold all of the technology and electrical components was one of our biggest problems. Finding the right materials to make our product was also challenging. However, we stayed confident and determined to work through these problems and find solutions as a team.
Accomplishments that I’m proud of
After a weekend of working together on the same project, we are proud to have established a cohesive design plan and finished product. We are also proud of our ability to adapt to unknown challenges and work together effectively and efficiently to create our end product. Most importantly, we are proud that MoonFlower has the potential to help millions of women around the world.
What I learned
We have learned that it takes effective communication and teamwork skills to collaborate on projects and produce a cohesive and satisfactory end product. We have also learned that there are almost always unplanned challenges and obstacles, but there are also always solutions.
What’s next for Moon Flower
Moon Flower’s next step is to create an updated version of the wearable where the birth control pill is already placed in the bracelet. We will work with pharmaceutical companies and the FDA to make this dream become a reality. Instead of the packages women who take the pill receive every month, they will obtain a bracelet with their allotted amount of their pill for the month. The vibrating reminder that is hooked up to the earlier design version will still vibrate when they need to take their pill. This model will make it easier for them to take their pill on a more regular basis.