theracup.
designing an air-pressurized cupping device to improve the job lives of medical masseuses.
summer semester│2025
market research.
lacks ergonomic grip for hand comfort & eliminate manual squeezing.
meet becky knopf!
lacks interchanagble smaller cups for target body areas like feet.
professional medical masseuse who performs massages & cupping for anyone, but specializes in athletes.
I visited her to see how she works with her current cupping method & see how she would use the other ones off the market.
here’s her feedback & requests.
lacks adjusted handle angle to reduce forearm pain & quieter motor for serene massage environment.
interface buttons & base shape issues.
“having the interface on the top makes me use and hold the device with 2 hands, making it way harder to drag easy across the body. the buttons should be located on the side of the device easily accesible to the index, middle, and ring finger.”
“as for the shape, it would be more comfortable as a more rectangular position, maybe asymmetrical for thumb placement would be nice.”
forearm & carpal tunnel pain.
“the angle i have to hold it at and the manual hand squeezing all day causes my forearm and palm to be extremely sore.”
the muscles most affected include the carpal tunnel located in the palm & the palmaris longus which is the forearm muscle that supports the palm the most.
ideation.
final concept.
symmetrical base with ergonomic indents on both sides for comfortable hand placement.
brand analysis.
taking inspiration from a brand that is centered around user experience to create devices that improve people’s day to day lives.
therabody is recognized for their research.
color palette.
material swatches.
elastomer rubber, aluminum plating, & metallic blue accents.
exploded view.
the inside engineering that brings this device to life.
final design.
modeled in Fusion360 & rendered in Keyshot.
designing for the people that use it all day. everyday.
extra special thank you to becky knopf for allowing me to visit & observe your work across the course of the semester.