2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Purpose.
This undergraduate-led case study in Undergraduate and Applied Research in Engineering Technology evaluates and improves an open-source Parkinson’s Disease Treatment Glove system through an iterative cycle of use, reflection, and redesign. The project asks: How do end-user experiences with weeklong at-home trials inform tangible hardware, ergonomic, and usability improvements, and do those changes measurably affect perceived usability?

Methods.
During the Fall 2025 semester an undergraduate student assembled a published open-source glove design, deployed it for a one-week home trial with a single end user (an adult with Parkinson’s), and collected (a) post-trial System Usability Scale (SUS) scores and (b) daily video journal reflections. The student performed rapid thematic analysis of reflections—targeting hardware, ergonomics, and usability pain points—to generate design improvements. Guided by a systematic down-selection process (e.g., enclosure geometry, strap architecture, component layout, etc.) and utilizing a Human-Centered Design approach informed by the analysis of the user’s reflections and SUS scores, the student iterated upon the original design by utilizing computer-aided design (CAD) software and additive manufacturing and repeated the one-week trial with a second SUS and new reflections. Pre/post SUS scores and qualitative themes were triangulated to explain observed changes in perceived usability and to document the student’s design-decision logic.

Results (Expected).
The project is expected to yield:
(1) user-voiced requirements that directly inform mechanical/ergonomic updates;
(2) measurable change in perceived usability (ΔSUS) with qualitative rationale; and
(3) a replicable workflow that links prototype → human data → requirement → iterated prototype → evidence.

Contributions.
This project exemplifies an authentic, undergraduate research experience in which the student participates in project-based learning by actively engaging with feedback from the user and uses rapid prototyping in order to bring the overall design of the gloves towards a more human-centered design. This will aid the student in developing skills through CAD work, electronics and programming, additive manufacturing, and professional communication.