forge

Reconnecting lives

1 in 3 combat vets struggles with PTSD. Drug and talk therapy are often prescribed for PTSD. But, many combat vets are not able or willing to use these options and continue to suffer in silence. Forge is an innovation for the treatment of PTSD. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, CBT, is scientifically proven to be an effective treatment for PTSD and employs neurofeeback, which is a cognitive restructuring therapy. Forge uses CBT to alleviate PTSD symptoms and redefined PTSD therapy using CBT with an in-home, user friendly product and self directed product and experience.

WORDMARK EXPLORATIONS

The process of creating the identity for FORGE began on paper. Pulling inspiration from many different, pre-existing typefaces and trying to create a brand that elicited strength and empowerment. This resulted in many outcomes that were too sharp and unfriendly; something that was not desirable because this is a therapeutic product, and thus needed to be safe and approachable. The final mark came together by using minuscule type to eliminate the sharpness, while creating cross sections between some of the letters to provide a strong structure. The letters themselves also represent the forging together of the word, which in turn, represents the function of the proposed product and therapy.

COLOR THEory

The brand colors also presented their own challenge. The subject demanded a color palette that was strong, friendly and gender neutral. Yellow was an initial response to the need for the brand to be welcoming, and green was also a first response to the demographic being military personnel. After exploring many combinations of these colors, it became clear that green and yellow together made the immediate connection to the military, but not to healing and recovery. Because the latter was the focus, the brand switched to cooler, more soothing colors; with the strength in the palette deriving from the dark navy and the friendliness from the warm cream.

User Experience + Interface

Designing the experience the user would have when using FORGE was originally inspired by the experience many young children have when participating in traditional biofeedback in clinic. These children are presented with a game, for example, they will see a plane flying over mountains. If the children maintain their target brainwave, the plane will fly at a level that keeps it from hitting the mountains. If they lose the brainwave the plane will descend. When creating the visual application for the in home sessions for vets, I considered creating a game like session for adults with incentive and community. Unfortunately, during development it was discovered that the stress of “winning” a game style session would add stress to a therapy that is suppose to combat that very thing. The session then evolved into a more meditative session, with less high risk rewards and “losses”. The final ball of particles that revolves around the screen during the sessions inspired much of the rest of the brand application and style.

PRODUCT SOLUTION

In traditional biofeedback, or neurofeedback, the patient has to wear a strange head piece with hundreds of qEEG sensors on it. These sensors function by feeding the activity of the brainwaves to a monitor for the individual to see. The helps them to understand how certain emotions and feelings result in certain brainwaves. This understanding is the first step in taking control of your responses and training your brain to work in a more desirable and functional manner. Unfortunately, the head gear used is quite strange, intimidating and quite alienating. The product solution for FORGE was to eliminate the use of a product that was aesthetically uncomfortable. I removed all of the wiring by creating a product that would connect through bluetooth to the users phone. Then I removed the need for the intimidating head gear by imbedding the qEEG sensors into a regular baseball cap. This severed as a suitable solution because the cap still fits tightly to the head, which is necessary for the sensors to function properly. This removed not only the clumsiness of the head gear, but also provided comfort and familiarity to the user.

SUMMARY

CHALLENGE

To help combat vets with PTSD get access to a treatment that is both empowering and comfortable for them.

SOLUTION

Providing an in home, biofeedback/neurofeedback system that will allow the demographic to engage in a self-driven, personal recovery program; complete with a discreet, comfortable, wireless qEEG device that connects to and functions on the user’s phone.

BENEFIT

Other than scientifically proven improvement when it comes to recovery from PTSD, benefits of this product are improved sleep, improved memory, less anxiety, reduced stress related conditions, anger, headaches and additions. This product is also a very viable option for other demographics such as children with trauma, law enforcement, victims of sexual abuse and more.