Final Project
Krypto Support
ABOUT
A support brace with impact-absorbing system and IMU motion tracking, designed to help pets with spinal compression conditions.
DISCIPLINES
3D Design · Electronics · Fabrication · Programming
Deliberation Process
How I arrived at this idea
This is Krypto
He is a 1 year old Scottish Terrier diagnosed with Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD)
The deliberation process started from a very personal place — my own dog's diagnosis. Watching Krypto struggle with everyday movements made me ask whether fabrication could offer something that didn't yet exist commercially. I began by mapping what I knew: the problem, who it affected, what solutions already existed, and where the gaps were.
Most commercially available braces for pets are either too generic, too rigid, or don't address the specific biomechanical challenge of spinal impact during movement. None of them collect movement data that could help a veterinarian track the condition over time. That double gap — mechanical and diagnostic — became the starting point for Krypto Support.
Ideas I considered before deciding
Option A — Generic pet monitor
A wearable that tracks general activity levels. Discarded because it already exists commercially and doesn't address the mechanical problem of spinal impact.
Option B — Rigid orthopedic brace
A fixed support structure. Discarded because rigid braces limit natural movement and can cause secondary issues — the opposite of the goal.
Option C — Krypto Support ✓
A flexible brace with an integrated impact-absorbing system and IMU sensor. Selected because it addresses both the mechanical and diagnostic needs simultaneously.
Inspiration & References
Looking at similar projects helped me understand what was possible and where existing solutions fell short. These references shaped the design direction of Krypto Support:
Why this project matters
Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) affects a large percentage of certain dog breeds, particularly dachshunds, French bulldogs, and corgis. Most owners manage the condition reactively — only visiting the vet after an episode. Krypto Support aims to shift that toward proactive monitoring, giving veterinarians real movement data to work with rather than relying solely on owner descriptions of symptoms.
What is Krypto Support?
Project overview
Krypto Support is a support brace designed with an impact-absorbing system that helps reduce the stress generated during different movements such as walking, running, and jumping. This system reduces the overall impact received by pets with spinal compression conditions in the hip area, helping to decrease the pain they experience.
Additionally, the design incorporates an IMU system to track the pet's daily movements and detect anomalies, allowing this information to be shared with a veterinarian to support better diagnosis and treatment.
Initial sketch
This is the first sketch of the concept — a starting point to visualize the form and the placement of the structural and electronic components.
Task Distribution & Vision
How the project is structured
Rather than thinking about materials at this stage, I find it more useful to think about which Fab Academy assignments will directly feed into this project and what I want to explore most deeply in each one. This is the roadmap I'm working toward:
3D Design & Fabrication
The brace structure will be the most important physical component. I want to explore flexible filaments and how to design joints that absorb impact without limiting natural movement. This will likely be the area I iterate on the most.
Electronics Design
I want to design a custom PCB that integrates an IMU sensor (MPU-6050 or similar) with a microcontroller small enough to be mounted on the brace without adding uncomfortable weight to the pet.
Networking & Communication
The board needs to transmit movement data wirelessly — either via Bluetooth to a phone app or via Wi-Fi to a small dashboard. I'm most interested in exploring how to make this data readable for a vet without requiring technical knowledge.
Embedded Programming
Writing the firmware to detect motion anomalies — sudden impacts, unusual gait patterns — is the part I'm most curious about and also the most technically challenging for me personally.
Molding & Casting
The impact-absorbing pads may benefit from silicone casting to achieve the right softness and durability. I want to experiment with shore hardness values to find what works best for small dogs.
Interface & Output
A simple visual output — even just an LED pattern or a basic web dashboard — to confirm the system is reading and transmitting correctly. This will likely be the last piece I build.
What I want to explore most
The area I'm most excited to develop is the intersection between the physical brace design and the electronics — specifically, how to integrate a PCB into a flexible wearable without making it rigid or uncomfortable. Most wearable electronics projects treat the electronics and the structure as separate problems. I want to design them together from the start, which I think will be the most interesting challenge of the whole project.