Goji

Using AI-powered tools to advance pelvic healthcare

Role

Product designer

UX researcher

Visual designer

Industrial designer

Team

Evelynn Li

Anne Fernandez

Duration

10 weeks




Skills

UX Design

Interaction Design

Visual Design

Prototyping

CMF

CAD

CONTEXT

Vaginismus is a condition characterized by involuntary muscle spasms and a hypertonic pelvic floor. It can stem from various causes, including trauma, anxiety, or underlying medical issues.


This can make vaginal penetration painful or impossible, causing significant psychological distress and creating anxiety and diminished self-confidence.


The condition perpetuates a cycle of pain and tension, affecting both sexual and overall well-being.

PROBLEM & OPPORTUNITY

Current treatments for vaginismus often rely on invasive methods such as dilation training or internal pelvic massaging, which can be physically painful and emotionally re-traumatizing.


There is a need for gentle, holistic care that addresses both the body and mind.

Testimonial research

After research involving speaking to anonymous participants about their experience and collecting testimonials on Reddit, we learned that


1) Pelvic therapy is expensive and inaccessible, making healing feel out of reach


2) Individuals with vaginismus struggle significantly with anxiety and fear when seeking out or starting treatment


3) Invasive forms of treatment feel intimidating and perpetuates a negative association with penetration and intimacy

"Right now, penetration is associated with pain and work."

"Is it possible to cure vaginismus on your own? I do not want to go the rest of my life not being able to have penetrative sex or insert a tampon."

"I have vaginismus and it's destroying me. I can't have sex, insert a tampon, much less a finger into my vagina without it hurting. The problem is, I don't think I'll be able to afford going to a pelvic floor therapist."

"I hate that these (physical therapy) appointments make me freak out so much. Does anyone have any advice on how to combat this?"

"I have a good amount of medical trauma and hate being in any type of sterile, hospital-like environment."

"Sexytimes feel medical and mechanical"

How might a personal pelvic therapy tool address emotional triggers and make healing more accessible and approachable?

How might a personal pelvic therapy tool address emotional triggers and make healing more accessible and approachable?

How might a personal pelvic therapy tool address emotional triggers and make healing more accessible and approachable?

THE SOLUTION

Goji reimagines pelvic therapy as a friendly
self-treatment tool paired with an AI-powered
digital companion that bridges the gap between sexual wellness and healthcare.


Because everyone deserves compassionate,
trauma-informed healing.

The Pelvic Pal

Goji is a minimally-invasive pelvic massager equipped with 3 blunt edges that target various muscle groups for myofascial muscle release.

Trauma-informed design

Vaginismus and pelvic pain are often rooted in sexual trauma and impact sexual wellness, self-image, and confidence in relationships.


We approached Goji's design and use cases with this in mind, aiming to boost confidence and rebuild relationships between individuals and their bodies.

Targeted muscle release

Helps release tight pelvic muscles with and without insertion

Stimulation

Encourages blood flow and integrates pleasure with treatment

Internal and external use

Safely reintroduce or experience shallow penetration at your own pace.

Thermotherapy

Soothes pain and discomfort while you work through pelvic pain.

Solo or with a partner

Rebuilds confidence during intimacy, Bridges pelvic therapy with sexual wellness.

Vibration therapy

Vibration frequencies assist with massage and muscle release.

Device is shaped like a friend, fostering psychological safety and making healing more achievable.

Multiple blunt edges

Features 3 blunt edges for different massage needs, from broad muscle groups to targeted spots.

Button-free

Button-free design allows for uninterrupted, seamless sessions. Simply squeeze the device to turn it on/off or flip through vibration frequencies.

Made with medical-grade silicone

Made with a medical-grade silicone with a soft satin finish, ensuring comfort and durability.

Process

Taking our idea from moodboard to sketch to 3D printing

Validating usability

To validate our designs, we spoke to
Dr. Leslie Wakefield MS, PT, CSCS who provided feedback and insight into what vaginismus patients find most impactful during treatments on a psychosomatic level.

The App

Goji can be paired with a digital companion app filled with tools that can aid healing on a psychosomatic level.

Research-backed, therapist-recommended

Mindful, diaphragmatic breathing is recommended by pelvic floor therapists to help relax the pelvic floor. The app comes with four guided breathing exercises. with visualizers to help ground users in their session.

At-a-glance progress tracking

Users get an at-a-glance look into their progress and patterns with data visualization built into the design system. Session cards summarize their sessions and track their pain patterns.

Customization and curation

Flexible categories enable customers to curate a customized experience because no pain experience is the same.

Self-reflection

After each exercise, users are prompted to reflect on their pain levels on a categorical scale.

Leveraging AI to advance pelvic healthcare

AI chat links users to resources and providers to help them better understand their symptoms and receive treatment options or recommendations.

Goji Design System

The Goji Design System offers a scalable framework that preserves the app's cohesive visual identity, seamlessly adapting as new features and innovations are introduced.

Next steps

V2 includes implementing more data visualization and leveraging AI tools to generate analytics that help users get a holistic look into their healing progress over time and further recommendations for treatment.

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itsemitang@gmail.com

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