Story tells a little insight about the awareness of postural strain through metaphoric visuals.
This idea was explained by Ian Sung, a Physiotherapist and Practice Director at Mount Gravatt, where he explains how bad posture is similar to the way drivers are stuck in a traffic jam.
Bold yet fluid, the imagery acts as a gentle reminder for us.
Story Thumbnails
Back pain is such a universal problem, but there is still a lack of understanding regarding the causes and factors contribute to it. To simplify the physiological concept behind it, I made a summary of Ian Sung's article into a quick explanation through moving visuals.
“To curve our spine into a slumped position equates to significant stress on the spine’s supporting cast, which in turn denatures the integrity of our spinal cord. Think of it as a congested highway, and the electrical impulses are cars trying to speed their way into our brain to provide real-time feedback on the body’s current state. Much like drivers who are stuck in a traffic jam, signals can express biological ‘road rage’ and amplify themselves.”
(Ian Sung, 2015)
Behind the Story
This video was a part of a concept for Speculative Design project. In the near future, I imagined a wearable device acting as a second skin that gives postural relief to avoid chronic back pain at early stage. The product mainly targets people with a job that requires them to sit all day long.
By monitoring electrical signals that passes through our back, the device aligns our posture by gently pulling our upper back muscle so the rest of our body parts will automatically follow to reduce muscle strain. Connecting the device with our smartphone allows us to keep track of our progress anytime and anywhere.
The device is flexible enough for adjustment and comfort. Imitating the concept of chromophore (how chameleon skin works), it will blend onto the skin as if being invisible so people don’t have to worry about it being noticeable.
Credits
Design & Animation
Narrator
Tools
Vania Chandrawidjaja
Agnes Nadine
Adobe After Effects
Adobe Photoshop
Cinema 4D