Rehabox: Remote Rehabilitation for Boxers
UX project for the rehabilitation of injured boxers with an app and boxing mat system
Introduction
Rehabox is a UX project from the course Design of Human Machine Interface (WS 23/24) by Hamza Dursun & Atakan Erol. The project is specifically aimed at injured boxers who need motivation, structure, and professional support after an injury to find their way back into the sport.
The system consists of two central components:
- a mobile application
- an intelligent boxing mat with sensors
Boxing Mat App
Research & Overview
Starting Point
The research phase began with the identification of a clear target group: injured boxers. The impulse came from a personal conversation with a boxer who experienced a significant drop in performance after an injury and eventually stopped boxing.
The goal was to develop a system that:
- Accompanies rehabilitation in a structured way
- Maintains motivation
- Enables professional support
System Overview
Rehabox combines:
- an App that provides personalized exercises
- a Boxing Mat that measures training units and provides feedback
Therapists or trainers create exercise plans, analyze usage data from the mat, and give targeted feedback via the app.
System Overview: App & Boxing Mat
Personas & User Journey
Persona 1 – Daniel Schneider
Age: 25 Level: Amateur Occupation: Sports Student & Hobby Boxer
Daniel uses boxing as a stress reliever. A shoulder and upper arm injury threw his everyday life and his athletic career out of balance.
Goals & Needs:
- Complete recovery
- Safe return to boxing training
- Simple introductory exercises
- Motivation
Persona Daniel Schneider
Persona 2 – Laura Mertens
Age: 38 Occupation: Sports Physiotherapist
Laura has many years of experience in sports physiotherapy and works with amateur and professional athletes.
Goals & Needs:
- Overview of the rehabilitation process
- Create and adapt exercises
- Close communication with athletes
Persona Laura Mertens
Persona 3 – Jennifer Hold
Age: 29 Level: Semi-professional Occupation: Professional Boxer
After an injury, Jennifer relies on targeted rehab exercises and mental support to reach her performance level again.
Persona Jennifer Hold
Paper Prototype
Before the system was implemented digitally, paper prototypes were created. These helped to visualize functional logic, screen sequences, and the initial idea of the boxing mat.
Paper Prototype – App
Paper Prototype – Boxing Mat
Wireframes
Patient App
The wireframes for athletes include, among others:
- Animation page for exercise explanation
- Homepage
- Exercise levels
- Daily activities
- Feedback from therapists and boxing mat
Wireframes – Patient App
Therapist App
Therapists can:
- Edit exercises
- Monitor progress
- Send feedback
- Analyze boxing mat data
Wireframes – Therapist App
Boxing Mat – Concept & Function
The boxing mat was designed to motivate movement despite injury. It measures:
- Accuracy
- Punch force
- Number of punches
The mat can be mounted on the wall or hung up and transmits data to the app.
Boxing Mat Concept
Moodboard & Color Concept
The visual concept is based on:
- Red / Orange → Energy & Motivation
- Blue → Rehabilitation & Trust
The goal was to perceive the app not only as a boxing app but also as a rehab app.
Moodboard & Colors
Screen Design
The final screen design is strongly oriented towards the moodboard. The logo consists of a heptagonal form with a color gradient from red to orange.
Patient Screens
Screen Design – Patient
Therapist Screens
Screen Design – Therapist
Boxing Mat – Final Design
The mat features:
- Start Button
- Bluetooth
- WiFi Direct LEDs provide visual feedback during training.
Boxing Mat – Final Design
Conclusion
Rehabox is a holistic rehabilitation system that unites technology, motivation, and professional support. The combination of an app and an intelligent boxing mat enables an effective, measurable, and supportive rehabilitation for boxers.
This project was developed as part of a university UX/HMI course.