Utera: A Period Piece
An interactive educational tool designed to reduce stigma around the topic of menstruation and instruct viewers on the menstrual cycle.
In the United States, the age of menarche (when girls first get their period) is about 12.5 years, but many of the resources for teaching this topic are heavily medical, and not designed for younger people. I wanted to design a system that communicated the most important parts of the menstrual cycle in a more entertaining, approachable way. By requiring viewers to pick up Utera and physically trigger the next state, she forces viewers to interact with this often shunned topic, and confront any reactions of discomfort, aversion, or disgust.
Utera is constructed out of fabric, stuffed with polyfill, and has an embedded Arduino ESP32 that controls 17 installed LEDs and two interactive buttons. The system is entirely wireless, and is powered by a portable charger. There are four different parts of the menstrual cycle represented: (1) the development of an ovarian follicle; (2) ovulation, where the egg is released from the ovary and travels down the fallopian tube; (3) the thickening of the endometrium (uterine lining); and (4) menstruation, the shedding of this lining.
