Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ScoliosisManager (Monitoring platform for scoliosis treatment to empower kids, parents, physicians and orthotists)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2015-06-01 al 2015-11-30
Scoliosis is a three-dimensional (3D) deformity of the human spinal column and ribcage, caused by lateral curvature deviating from the midline. It has been calculated that 10% of all children have scoliosis, 2.5% requiring treatment (80% girls, 20% boys): it is of paramount importance for the health and self-esteem of these adolescents. As core of conservative treatments, braces have been used for decades with the aim of halting and possibly reversing the progressive nature of the deformity. The overall objective of ScoliosisManager is to provide monitoring mHealth services for the kids to help them to comply with the therapy: ScoliosisManager is a tool for patient empowerment and self-management of the treatment. Additionally, mHealth services are also provided to parents so that they can quickly identify non-compliant and abnormal behavioural patterns in order to provide timely help and, at the same time, a powerful tool for physicians and orthotists.
The main results obtained during Phase 1 execution are the following: 1.- by means of the questionnaire filled by 329 patients and 334 parents, we have been able to further quantify and to successfully validate the objectives (and “key assumptions”) of the value propositions that we are providing to both patients and parents with the new monitoring system. 2.- As we are working with kids and adolescents, we have joined for Phase 2 a partner for integrating a gamification into the system: the company Healthy Blue Bits and its gamification called Esporti Revolution. 3.- We have partner up with a company for the development of the new wearable device, Irideon, specialised in hardware and software developments for wearable sensors in health and IoT applications. 4.- The distribution strategy and sales process have been further defined after a deep primary market analysis. 5.- The business opportunity has been revisited by redefining the market price of the new product, calculating the Lifetime Value (LTV) of an Acquired Customer and the cost of a customer acquisition (COCA). 6.- The global orthopedic braces and supports (orthotics) market has been investigated as adjacent or “follow-on” markets. 7.- After a new “freedom-to-operate” and patentability analysis, the ScoliosisManager patent has been finished by our European Patent Attorney.
The work undertaken in Phase 1 has validated and reinforced our business idea of ScoliosisManager: therefore, we continue with the project.