Motivation:Good posture isn’t just about looking confident—it can improve your breathing, reduce back and neck pain, and even boost your energy levels. On the flip side, bad posture can lead to muscle strain, joint pain, and long-term health issues like spinal misalignment and headaches.
We believe that currently available posture correctors fall short. A smart device that actively works with users can make a big difference!
Our idea:We’re introducing a smarter stretch band posture corrector that combines a stretch sensor and IMUs to monitor the band’s tension and the position of the spine. If the user's posture starts slipping, a gentle vibration will nudge them to straighten up. For really bad posture, an EMS unit will send a stronger signal to help correct it. This system offers more precise feedback than tension alone, helping the user develop better posture habits over time—even when they're not wearing it. In tandem, we have created a desktop companion which mimics the wearer's posture, providing both a visual reminder and motivation to the user.
Related Products:Most existing posture correctors are just bands or harnesses that hold one's posture in place, such as this popular device from Amazon:
The downside of devices like these are that they don’t help users build the muscles needed for proper alignment. Plus, users have reported that they can get used to the band’s pressure, making it no longer effective. Smart posture devices are out there, but they typically only track spine orientation and don’t take shoulder alignment into account, leaving room for improvement.
Our Device:
The posture corrector is a fully adjustable device consisting of a band around the ribcage and two shoulder straps. Testing various IMU placements revealed that sensors positioned on the mid-to-upper back offered the most significant variation between good and poor posture. As a result, each shoulder strap incorporates an IMU positioned five inches above the ribcage band. One inch above each IMU is a stretch sensor, which measures changes in capacitance as it stretches, allowing the distance between the shoulder blades to be quantified. Proper posture, with shoulders held back, results in a reduced distance.
Upon donning the device, the user is required to maintain good posture for five seconds to allow calibration, during which target values for both the IMUs and the stretch sensor are established. After calibration, the device continuously monitors sensor readings and computes an aggregated posture score, categorized into three levels. The first level corresponds to good posture. If posture deteriorates to the second level—indicated by reduced spinal angle or rounded shoulders—haptic motors provide gentle feedback. For more severe deviations, the EMS unit delivers stronger stimulation to encourage realignment.
Additionally, IMU data is transmitted to a desktop companion device designed to visually replicate the user’s posture. This companion device comprises stacked, angled discs threaded with a motor-controlled string. Deviations from the calibrated posture are calculated as angular changes, and the motor adjusts the string length, causing the discs to bend and reflect the user’s posture in real time.
Video Demonstration: 
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