Sweet Routine

Final Project | B.Des Industrial Design | HIT
Year: 2024

How can oral-motor rehabilitation for eating recovery shift from a frustrating routine to a healing experience?

Oral-motor Rehabilitation?

About 10% of the global population experiences dysphagia — difficulty swallowing, often after strokes, surgeries, neurological conditions, or in older age.

Beyond the physical challenge, it deeply affects confidence and social life.

With proper speech therapy and targeted exercises using a variety of tools and aids, many cases can be successfully rehabilitated.

So, what’s the problem?

Daily practice is essential for recovery, but the tools are cold and clinical — turning each session into a cycle of difficulties, pain, and embarrassment, and making it hard for patients to stay motivated and keep going.

Concept

I explored two main directions:

(1) enhancing existing devices.

(2) creating a new solution that integrates rehabilitation with the eating experience.

After interviews and trials with speech therapists and patients, and carefully weighing the options,

I chose to pursue the second path (2) — a fresh, engaging solution designed to make daily practice more natural and motivating.

P.O.C

Initial active sessions
Together with therapists and patients, we tested various off-the-shelf candies to explore their potential therapeutic value.

The outcome:

The concept proved suitable for a wide range of patients.
Key therapeutic attributes were identified in terms of shape, texture, and taste.

is candy brand offering a precise solution for common therapeutic needs, tailored to patients with different abilities.
Let's take a closer look at the solution.

Orange is designed for people with weakened lip muscles or reduced lip sensation.

Why? Weak lips make it hard to eat with a closed mouth, and to feel if food or drink is spilling.

What? It is a firm candy on a stick that strengthens lip muscles and trains them to close properly.

How? Its texture moves across the lips, adding a layer of sensory stimulation to help restore sensation.

Flavor also plays a key role in sensory stimulation

The orange candy comes in three sweet flavors, each triggering a strong, active response from the oral muscles.

fruit mix

apricot

cantaloupe

mango

Red is designed for individuals with reduced oral sensation

Why? Reduced oral sensation makes it difficult to feel and control movements inside the mouth, limiting safe and effective swallowing.

What? A firm candy on a stick that helps patients reconnect with oral sensations and improve muscle control.

How? Its shape allows gentle or deeper placement to stimulate the swallowing reflex, while rotation provides additional sensory activation.

Sour flavors stimulate the mouth strongly, making them especially beneficial for rehabilitation.

Wild fruit mix

mulberry

cranberry

raspberry

Green is designed for patients with limited tongue mobility, helping them regain strength, control, and a fuller range of motion.

Why? Limited tongue mobility reduces range of motion, making swallowing and speech exercises less effective.

What? A structured candy with ring-shaped layers that guide the tongue through broad and precise movements.

How? Each ring has a thin center layer for the tongue to melt and navigate through, promoting controlled and extended motion.

The mild, refreshing flavors are carefully selected to prevent excessive salivation or sensory overload, helping patients stay focused on the therapeutic movements.

fresh

herbal

tea

apple

mint

Yellow is designed for patients in the final stages of recovery.

Why? In the final stages of recovery, patients can chew and swallow well, but their tongue muscles often still lack the endurance needed for a full meal.

What? A sticky, textured gummy filled with thick gel that builds strength and stamina in the tongue.

How? The stickiness creates resistance and friction against the tongue and palate, providing an intensive workout for muscle endurance.

The sour flavors are designed to stimulate extra saliva production, adding another layer of challenge — making this the most advanced candy in the series.

sour fruit mix

citrus

passion fruit

grapefruit