Pulsen
Solo project
Intelligent health management for artificial heart recipients
Improving quality of life for heart implant patients with Pulsen’s connected technology
Problem Discovery
Living with an artificial heart means more than survival—it’s a daily challenge for control and peace of mind.
An artificial heart implant is meant to restore life — but for many patients, it comes with constant stress. They’re expected to manage a complex device, stay alert to critical changes, and avoid risks, often without the tools or support they need. Despite medical advances, key issues remain — gaps in monitoring, infection risks, limited mobility, and lack of connection between patients and caregivers.
Living with an artificial heart looks like this.
Patients with an artificial heart need to carry a bag that holds the batteries and other equipment, which are connected to the body through tubes and entry points.
Here is one patient's challenges about living with an artificial heart: (link)
Through desktop research and an internet search, we identified these major problems:
HMW support patients with artificial hearts so they feel safe, confident, and in control—before complications arise?
Setting out to solve
Our Solution: Pulsen
An AI-powered, wireless, and patient-centered health app for artificial heart recipients — Enabling real-time monitoring, predictive alerts, remote caregiver access, and seamless integration with implant hardware for safer, more independent living.
Homepage: Real-time access to your most critical health data
Pulsen gives you the tools to monitor, manage, and understand your health—day by day, with clarity and confidence.
Display critical parameters at a glance
Battery status monitoring,
Instant access to emergency help with SOS,
Notification for warnings or system messages,
Navigation to deeper system data
Pulsen gives you easy access to everything you need to stay on top of your condition—from system performance to self-education
Check your system status
Track your measurements in detail
Monitor battery health
Learn from educational resources
Stay informed with news
Manage your personal profile
Measurements: Comprehensive health monitoring at a glance
The Measurements section gives patients a clear, real-time overview of their most important health data, helping them stay informed and in control.
View live readings and status,
Instantly see what’s normal, what’s not,
Export your data easily
The Process
Researching Problem Space
While existing systems provide life-sustaining support, the physical components often come with significant limitations—bulky external batteries, exposed wires, and restricted mobility. Many solutions lack seamless integration between hardware and software, leaving patients to manage complex systems with minimal support.
In this project, we explored not only the digital experience but also proposed a design concept for the hardware—a sensor-integrated coil that enables wireless charging and safer data transfer. This dual approach opened the opportunity to design not just a utility, but a connected, intelligent ecosystem that empowers patients in daily monitoring, education, and long-term care.
Analysing Market & Competitions
Competitive analysis revealed a fragmented ecosystem of medical devices and support tools, each addressing isolated parts of the artificial heart experience—hardware performance, remote monitoring, or patient education.
Most existing solutions focus on either device function or medical data, often lacking meaningful integration or user-centered design. Patients and caregivers are left navigating multiple systems that don’t communicate well with each other.
Pulsen takes a different approach. By combining real-time health monitoring, predictive AI alerts, wireless battery integration, and educational resources into a single platform—supported by a redesigned hardware concept—we aim to create a unified and intelligent experience that supports patients not just medically, but practically and emotionally in their daily lives.
Defining Persona
Braveheart
Graphic designer
Battery life limitations
Worry over infection at implant site
Difficulty accessing support away from home
Anxiety about device malfunction
Live actively and independently without external batteries
Stay informed about her health
Balance device maintenance with a busy schedule
Limited real-time data access
Inconsistent updates from patients
High patient load
Stress of managing complex cases
Provide proactive, data-driven care
Improve patient outcomes
Streamline monitoring and follow-up
Braveheart’s Doctor
Cardiologist
User journey Mapping
Approaching a Solution
Supporting safer, more informed living through predictive insights, personalized care, and connected tools
Leveraging our research insights and a deep understanding of patients' daily challenges, we recognized that an effective solution must go beyond passive data tracking. Patients need timely guidance, proactive support, and an experience that feels clear, trustworthy, and responsive to their real-world needs.
This led us to a solution approach grounded in real-time alerts, interactive education, and routine health engagement — designed to reduce risk, increase confidence, and make daily management more manageable. Pulsen transforms monitoring into an empowering health experience that supports patients physically and emotionally.
Clear
Give patients a clear understanding of their health status through in-app education, visual indicators, and interactive tutorials — helping them make informed decisions with less stress and confusion.
Intelligent
Provide smart, real-time insights and analytics powered by AI — including trend tracking, emergency health profiles, and proactive alerts that support patients in staying ahead of potential complications.
Supportive
Create a reliable, low-effort daily experience with push notifications, check-ins, and exportable reports — so patients feel cared for, not overwhelmed, by their condition.
Iterations from Usability Tests
Moderated usability testing informed key improvements to navigation and information hierarchy.
Usability testing revealed several pain points related to hierarchy, clarity, and accessibility. These insights guided focused UI adjustments that made critical information more visible and easier to navigate:
Navigation Order: Restructured the menu to reflect user priorities by placing "Measurements" directly after "System Status" for faster access to health data.
Medical Info Display: Expanded previously condensed medical details into a more readable, sectioned layout for better comprehension and scannability.
SOS Accessibility: Replaced the ambiguous icon with a clear, labeled SOS button to reduce hesitation during emergencies.
Alert Visibility: Introduced a persistent and color-coded alert module on the homepage, ensuring that system warnings are immediately noticed and understood.
These refinements helped reduce confusion, align with user expectations, and support more confident interactions—especially for patients managing high-stakes health information daily.
