Feixue Chen, a second-year master’s student in the Strategic Design Course, and Shunsuke Fujitani, a second-year master’s student in the Human Life Design and Science Course, have been selected for the Good Design New Hope Award 2026 in the Design of Systems and Services category.
The two students developed “SoundShoes – An App that Supports Walking in People with Parkinson’s Disease Using Footstep Sound Cues” as part of the “Studio Project (Kyushu University Hospital × Design Project)” course at the Graduate School of Design, Kyushu University, in collaboration with the Department of Neurology at Kyushu University Hospital.
Inspired by observations at the Department of Neurology, Kyushu University Hospital, this project focuses on gait rhythm disturbances, a key symptom of Parkinson’s disease. Literature research revealed that listening to footstep sounds is effective in improving these irregularities.
“SoundShoes” is an app designed to assist the gait of Parkinson’s disease patients using “footstep cues.” It bridges physical and emotional benefits by combining rhythmic auditory cues—which help compensate for gait disturbances—with the freedom for users to choose from a variety of footstep sounds, much like changing into a favorite pair of shoes. By addressing both mind and body, the design aims to inspire patients’ intrinsic motivation to walk.
Course Instructors: Naoshige Akita, Hiroyuki Matsuguma, Shunta Tomimatsu, Yasuyuki Hayama, and Kuriko Kudo
The two students developed “SoundShoes – An App that Supports Walking in People with Parkinson’s Disease Using Footstep Sound Cues” as part of the “Studio Project (Kyushu University Hospital × Design Project)” course at the Graduate School of Design, Kyushu University, in collaboration with the Department of Neurology at Kyushu University Hospital.
Inspired by observations at the Department of Neurology, Kyushu University Hospital, this project focuses on gait rhythm disturbances, a key symptom of Parkinson’s disease. Literature research revealed that listening to footstep sounds is effective in improving these irregularities.
“SoundShoes” is an app designed to assist the gait of Parkinson’s disease patients using “footstep cues.” It bridges physical and emotional benefits by combining rhythmic auditory cues—which help compensate for gait disturbances—with the freedom for users to choose from a variety of footstep sounds, much like changing into a favorite pair of shoes. By addressing both mind and body, the design aims to inspire patients’ intrinsic motivation to walk.
Course Instructors: Naoshige Akita, Hiroyuki Matsuguma, Shunta Tomimatsu, Yasuyuki Hayama, and Kuriko Kudo