Live: The Intersection of Technology and Health Education: How Wearable Technology Improves Lives

Martha L. Hall, PhD has served as director of Innovation for the College of Health Sciences at the University of Delaware since 2018. During her time as director she has developed the wearables for health research initiative based in the Innovation Health & Design Lab in the Tower at the STAR (Science, Technology, and Advanced Research) Campus.

The Innovation Health & Design Lab at UD works to improve health outcomes and quality of life through the design of wearables - including clothing, wearable technology, protective equipment and rehabilitative or medical devices. These products are created to address the broad spectrum of needs in various patient populations and highlight the importance of patient-centered design in health sciences.  The Lab’s projects include a variety of patient populations, including children with disabilities, patients recovering from stroke and professional athletes. In every case, the needs of the target patient population frame the research and design process. With an interdisciplinary team of researchers from occupational therapy, medical diagnostics, kinesiology, behavioral health, mechanical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, prosthetics/orthotics design, and fashion, the Innovation Health & Design Lab provides a unique lens to innovate, prototype, and test new wearables for health. 

Dr. Hall is a Delaware native and earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in Fashion Design from the University of Delaware and received her PhD in Biomechanics and Movement Science from the University of Delaware. Dr. Hall holds numerous patents in wearable technology and is an expert in user-centered functional design. Prior to coming to UD as the Director of Innovation, Dr. Hall worked in the apparel industry as a childrenswear designer and as a fashion design instructor.

Zebley Diaz currently serves as SOPHE's Editorial & Communications manager where she oversees management of Health Education and Behavior. Previously, she managed the Federal Bar Association's legal journal The Federal Lawyer. Zebley received her Masters in Strategic Communication from the University of Maryland Global Campus. She completed her bachelor's in journalism from the University of Hawaii in 2016.