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"
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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Emily Tang © 2024