Final Deliverable
Background Information
At the start of the project, there was a client meeting to learn about the difficulties and challenges the client faces in her everyday life due to her autoimmune diseases. The client described that one of her main issues is cleaning up after her children. She expressed that bending over causes pain and that vertical motion also causes vertigo in addition to pain. She described that existing devices that help her to bend over do not account for her fibromyalgia which causes sensitivity on her skin. The client described that the ideal device for her would have no rough edges, no thick seams, and handles would have a flat rectangular shape.
Problem Statement
Design a device to help the client overcome limitations of their autoimmune disorders, specifically afflictions that reduce mobility in the lower waist. This device will allow the client to pick up items from lower elevations without applying strain around the musculature of the spine. The device should be versatile, have a large range of motion, and be able to pick up/move many different types of objects. Holding the device will distribute force evenly onto the client’s skin, which will prevent autoimmune disorder flare ups.
Device Details
This device was designed to help those who experience limited mobility within their lower extremities, but specifically designed to help the client who experiences pain and weakness due to her autoimmune disorders. The client has expressed difficulties picking up toys from the ground, which is a common task she must do because of her kids. To reduce the pain she must endure for this task, a device was designed that allows her to trap toys on the ground into a bin, which can then be emptied in one go. The device is meant to be rolled along the floor like a vacuum, and the paddlewheels at the front roll, pushing objects it passes through into the bin.
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The device is to be used like a vacuum/golf ball collector; it should not require much bending about the musculature of the spine. This allows the client to collect toys on the ground, and transport them elsewhere all in one go. Nearly all features of the device have no sharp edges and are all smoothed out to prevent any symptoms from flaring up due to skin sensitivity. The materials used are also meant to be strong, but lightweight materials, light enough for the client to lift (with toys inside) without difficulty. In summary, the device provides the client with a less straining method of completing one of her common tasks.
If there was more time allotted towards the design process, the team could have probably tried to come up with a way for the device to be able to empty itself without the client having to lift it. A method for the device to collect objects that are stuck at the edges of the floor and wall may also have been implemented. Overall, the design satisfies the objectives/constraints associated with the task of collecting objects off the ground.
Objective and Constraints
The objectives for this design were to create a design that is easy to use, comfortable, durable, and practical for the client. The device should be easy to use because the client should be able to use this device with minimal effort and strain. Ideally, the device should be usable during a flareup and have little to no usage of fine motor skills. The client described that she experiences discomfort from pressure and friction with most of the devices she has used. This device should be perfectly tailored to her needs and not cause discomfort. The client described that her children tend to weaponize her assistive devices when playing with them. With this in mind, the device should be durable enough to withstand impact. The team has ensured the device is practical so that the client can use the device for multiple things and therefore be more helpful. The constraints that the team outlined were that the device does not require extensive strain on the client’s spine or her spinal musculature, the device should not have any rough edges, and should be used my applying constant pressure on skin. The constraints were on the concerns outlined by the client in the initial interview and the second interview.
Final Device
The design is held at the top of the bar, after the bend. From a standing position whilst holding the device, the user pushes the device along the ground. As they push, they large paddlewheel will spin, and as the device moves forward, objects between each of the paddles of the paddlewheel will be swept and put into the bin. To empty the bin, the user can lift the device and tilt the opening of the bin towards the location they want to drop the objects. A string is attached to the bin to prevent the contents from spilling out of the bin when lifting. The device does not take up much space horizontally, and thus storing the device will not take up too much space.
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There are several key features and relative details which make the design both unique and effective; including, but not limited to, fileted features, indented wheels, and variable collection bin height. Fileted features were a constraint on the design as the client very clearly pointed to their trouble with sharp edges and rough surfaces. However, fileting could also be a downfall as the client also stated trouble grasping circular objects, the design falls on an equilibrium point which allows for both comfort and a solid grip on the device. The wheels on the back of the collection bin are placed on the inside of the variable bar so the device can collect objects closer to walls, allowing the client a more convenient and versatile usage of our device. The variable bar which holds the collection bin to the arm of the device allows the client a more variable range of angles at which the device can be used and greatly reduces bumping of the handle along rough surfaces.
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Final drawings for the device, section 3, figure 15, display the device in the intended form of use with the bin located directly behind the paddlewheel. The drawing is scaled down quite a bit (12:1) because of the relatively large size of this household device; in comparison to an A sheet of paper that is. The similarities to a vacuum cleaner in its usage are visibly seen with the side view of the drawing, and the front and top view show the little amount of horizontal space used up by the device. The side view makes it easy to locate all the parts used in the device. The paddlewheel can be seen obviously connected to the main frame, the bar between the frame and the collection bin’s axle, the wheels located upon the same axle in the indents of the collection bin and of course the string from the tip of the collection bin the secondary handle. The side view of the device clearly exemplifies the angle the handle is placed at for client comfort during use of the device as well.
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The objectives listed were comfort, practicality, durability, ease of use, and cost, ranked by importance in that order. Comfort was subjective to the client; comfort was measured based on the client’s symptoms, and thus it was approximated by the smoothness of the device. The less rough/sharp edges the more comfortable it would be for the client. As mentioned earlier, this device was deliberately smoothed out to fulfill this criterion. Practicality was measured based on the number of household objects the device can pick up. This device can pick up any object that can fit within the slots of each paddle, and thus it also fulfills this criterion well. Durability was calculated by a count of how many parts had potential to snap due to fragility of small components. The main bar has potential to snap if for is applied directly onto it, but for practical use, there is no scenario where force is intentionally applied onto the bar. Ease of use was judged based on how easy it would be to learn how to use the device. This device is very simple, as the user only needs to push it along the ground and empty the contents later. Finally, cost was approximated based on the materials used, and the number of parts needed to build. Although the device is not particularly cheap, it is not impossibly unaffordable either. These metrics are all only approximations; it is difficult to get more accurate measurements of the metrics without having the physical prototype. Had there been a physical prototype, the team would consult their peers and ask for their opinions of the devices comfort, practicality, durability, and ease of use.
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The constraints were tailored to the client’s needs. Because of the clients many illnesses, the constraints the team came up with include not requiring much strain on the spinal musculature, not having rough edges, and also not causing much friction against the skin. The device’s design kept these constraints in mind, and the final prototype fulfills these constraints.
The main frame, the arm to which all other parts of the assembly attach, is to be constructed from CFRP, making it light as well as smooth when contacting the client’s skin. The handles on the main frame are covered with flexible polymer foam to further comfort the client’s hands during usage of the device. Most of the paddle wheels are to be constructed from CFRP, but the tips of the paddles are made from silicone elastomers to create more friction against the ground and cause the paddlewheel to roll instead of slide. The collection bin, the arm holding the collection bin and the wheels on the back end of the collection bin are all made from CFRP. The grips around the paddlewheel and the wheels on the collection bin are made from ethylene vinyl acetate to create a softer roll along the ground and create more friction to cause wheel portions to roll instead of slide and scratch surfaces. All CFRP parts can be made using forms/moulds filled with the molten plastic. Parts made of more flexible materials can be made using similar moulds to form casings that should be applied to the CFRP parts [3]. The foam on the handles can be formed from a sheet of the foam and wrapping the material around the specified areas.
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Device Prototype - modelled using Autodesk Inventor