For people using menstrual cups, okaTrack is a new period tracker that helps to seamlessly integrate emptying the cup into their schedules.
This all started when 3 engineering design graduate students at Northwestern University wanted to find a way to make it easier for people to adopt menstrual cups as their primary form of period protection.
Using a human-centered design approach, we interviewed over 200 potential and current menstrual cup users to develop unique insights that led to okaTrack.
With okaTrack, menstrual cup users can feel secure in their protection and easily integrate using one into their lives.
Menstrual cups are an alternative to pads and tampons that’s reusable for up to 10 years, making them the most sustainable method of period protection available. They’re made of silicone, can be worn for up to 12 hours, and seals in the vagina to collect menstrual fluid.
However, using a menstrual cup means dealing with significant changes to your daily schedule. Not knowing how full the cup is or when to empty it is a huge pain point for novice cup users, especially since the risk of a spill is disastrous. Even those who are experienced still struggle with considering the best time to empty the cup and which bathrooms they’ll have access to, assuming their day goes perfectly.
Setting & forgetting without spills or overflow
okaTrack offers real-time estimates of cup fullness so users can forget about their period without risking leaks.
“I forgot to empty before bed on day 2, my heaviest day, the other night. Very suddenly remembered after a coughing fit upon waking when the whole thing emptied onto my PJs.”
–Maggie B.
Understanding periods
okaTrack analyze menstrual flow rates so that users can understand their own periods better but also potentially uncover patterns and build knowledge about periods for everyone who menstruates.
“I started having some health issues that have greatly affected my cycle… I really want to be able to log output and chart it. All the current period trackers only let you put a generic ‘light, medium, heavy’ designation.”
–Mimi C.
Who we are
okaTrack is designed by Christy Zhang, Hanna Lauterbach, Chris Spaulding & Aakanksha Ardhapurkar, graduate students in the MS Engineering Design Innovation and MS Information Technology programs at Northwestern University.
What we believe
We believe that menstrual cups are the most sustainable period protection option available today, but high barriers to adoption prevent potential users from even trying them.
