Assistive Technology
I am taking OT(Occupational Therapy)105 this semester, Assistive Technology. It's a quite enjoyable class. One of our assignment recently is designing an assistive device that could make a certain task easier for a person with a disability.
Idea
When I tried to start this design, I keep thinking of what kind of design I am going to do. It didn't go well, because I don't even have a target user in mind. Then I scope myself in something was used daily and specifically for people experience hand tremors.
As it mentioned in What causes shaky hands? Many people associate shaky hands with Parkinson's disease, but the most common cause of shaking hands is actually essential tremor. Essential tremor is also not well-understood. But people with shaking hands are mostly having trouble using a spoon by themselves. I choose to design for older people or people with slightly shaky hands problem. They need to overcome the uncontrollable shaking before they had food. Spilling food requiring more effort to clean it up and inevitable embarrassing. It is necessary to come up with a solution so that it could improve both physical and mental experience.
There are currently some existing products such as Google spoon , Liftware Level Starter Kit, Amazon. They were designed to absorb vibration so that users with shaky hand could use the spoon without splitting anything. But would you buy a $200 utensil? You might if you can't stand with the situation anymore. But is there a better way? I would like to have a more accessible utensil, such as a spoon with lid, or spoon with a bag, to deal with this circumstances.
Design
i would like to use a question listed below to illustrate my design process.
What Light Tech Device did you create?
Adaptive eating utensils for people suffer Parkinson's, hand tremors or elderly people.
Spoons to alleviate shaky hands problems. For example spoon with lid/cap() and spoon with soft bag( imaging using a ballon with bigger opening)
Who might use such a device?
People who have slight/mild shaking hands problems
Describe the problem encountered by the individual
For people whose hands shake uncontrollably due to a medical condition, just eating can be frustrating and embarrassing, enough to keep them from sharing a meal with others or even have any appetites to eat.
What is the person’s functional goal?
One of the everyday activities: eat by yourself.
What materials and techniques were used to make the item?
For the prototype, I was able to use foam to shape a spoon. For future design consideration, I am looking to both heavy material for the utensil and the lid/cap, soft material for grabbing and extension bag.
Did you experience any difficulties?
When prototyping, there were many unexpected situations.
The mechanism to connect the lid, connect or glue the soft bag.
For the henge, it is better to use magnetic piece, so that it could be replace and clean easily.
The size of the soft bad, if too deep, it would be
What other ideas might have been tried to address the problem?
Extend protection like a flower pedals
How well does the device work?
It could reduce the shaking effect. Even though not working well like $200 device. But it works
How could you improve upon the device?
1. design a good lid/cap/henge mechanism
2.find the proper material
3. design the grab and clean function
If you look at the drafts above, there are two design ideas:
1: design a cap for the spoon, so that the lid could lock the food
2: use a soft bag, imaging using a ballon as spoon.
Those prototypes proved that those two designs could reduce the shaking effect.
Some other designing considerations:
Heavy:heavy spoon could reduce the shaking a little, weighted to counter tremors.
Ergonomic: easy grip handles,
Safe: choose proper materials
Durable: cap could easily be replaced and clean
Attractive: add more customized texture or color
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