project report
flexible
roshni tamang mitchell
arm
3d design
stabiliser
level 3
university college falmouth 2011/12
major project
content
introduction
4
background
6
design summary
7
external partners
9
user group
13
observation arm movement
19
research related products
23
prototypes user testing
27
user feedback
28
professional feedback
39
design breakdown
48
technical specifications
51
conclusion
55
introduction this project focuses on the health and wellbeing of people with disabilities. the aim of this project was to find a user group and their issues then come up with a solution. the project focuses on the individuals living with conditions like cerebral palsy etc. and the issues surrounding their meal times.the solution concept aims to provide the users with an assistive device. this device aids the users with support for their arm,to control their spasm, while enabling their arm with flexiblity to move forward - backward and around within the vicinity of the user to help them be independent during their meal times. the thorough primary research and testing of the prototypes has been conducted with a user based at bodmin, cornwall. feedback has been gathered from various users and professionals working from around cornwall.
background Eating a good and balanced diet is essential to our health and wellbeing, but sitting down to a family or group meal also provides us with an opportunity to socialise. since enjoying good food and pleasant company contributes to our psychological wellbeing, group or family mealtimes should be encouraged. Sometimes, particularly if the task of eating is very messy, and personal dignity is at stake, this would lead the diner to shyout and eat alone. however with the help of a better user based design this issue can be solved, such as an assistive device called “neater eater� which addresses this issue. i have followed a similar route and come up with a product which helps users to control their muscucal spasms, gives firm support and provides enough flexiblity to be independent during meal times.
design
summary
the flexible arm stabliser ia an assistive device to support and stabilise the arm through a range of movements,particularly for people suffering from disabilities affecting muscular control and those with reduced motor functions of the arm.
The device incorporates an arm rest mounted on top of a height adjustable column which is itself mounted on a ball and socket joint. The device allows unlimited axial rotation and a wide range of angular rotation about the centre of the ball. The base of the socket of the ball and socket joint incorporates a flange with holes. this allows the device to be mounted using a clamp to a fixed object at a suitable relative height such as the user’s chair.
An elasticated strap passes through lateral slots in the arm rest in order to secure the arm using Velcro type fasteners. This stabilises the arm by preventing it from lifting during muscular spasms and ensures the arm and device remain connected when the device is in use. The arm rest also features a cushioned pad to improve the comfort of the user.
The height adjustment, the flexibility and the firmly yet comfortably located orientation of the arm upon the device thus allows for a considerable range of stabilised, supported arm movement through the spatial area in the immediate vicinity of the user.
external
partners
mid cornwall lifestyle
Unit 1, Bodmin Business Centre, Harleigh Rd, Bodmin, Cornwall PL31 1AH E: lifestyles@breathe.com www.lifestyles-cornwall.org.uk t:01208 79911
churchtown farm
lanlivery, near bodmin Cornwall PL30 5BT t:: 01752 840059 e:inclusion.southwest@scopeorg.uk
cornwall mobility centre
tehidy house royal cornwall hospital truro TR1 3LJ t: 01872 254920 f: 01872 254921 e:enquiries@cornwallmobilitycentre.co.uk www.cornwallmobilitycentre.co.uk
dr adam pollard phd mcsm msc research fellow european centre for environment and human health peninsula college of medicine and dentistry knowledge spa truro TR1 3HD t: 01872 258163 m: 07796 767790
meirion grimshaw clinical specialist occupational therapist therapy department royal cornwall hospital truro tR1 3LJ 01872-252885
helen winchurch manager adult care and support echo centre cornwall council 01579 341070 hwinchurch@cornwall.gov.uk
adam stringer production coordinator design enterprise centre university college falmouth direct number 01326 370 743
daniel brinson and brian warwick techneopro ltd unit 6B restormel industrial estate lostwithiel cornwall PL22 0HG T: 01208 872222 www.techneopro.co.uk
user group
finding key issues
facts
there are 10 million disabled people in the uk of whom 5 million are over state pension age.
Every 1 in 400 children in the uk is affected by Cerebral Palsy
nearly 2,000 babies, from all social backgrounds and ethnic groups, are diagnosed every year.
the affects of CP vary from individual to individual.
at its mildest, CP may result in a slight awkwardness of movement of hand control.
at its most severe, CP results in virtually no muscle control, profoundly affecting movement and speech.
all of my user group, have Cerebral Palsy and have been affected in different levels. however they are very independent individuals and active members of midcornwall lifestyle.
simon slatter (project group member)
there are many issues off the top of my head one i can point out straight away is my head rest - it’s a new one but dosen’t work very well. as you can see it is not very supportive and wearing glasses is not very comfortable.
pete skea (young persons rep and trustee)
the main issue for me is this table in front of me. it is good as well as bad. the good point is that attaches to my chair. the bad is that ristricts my body movement.
francis is 46 and very independent. he manages most of his daily tasks. when i had our innitial interview in our first meeting, he showed a great desire to be independent during his meal times.
living with cp is difficult and there are many issues to live like this.
francis rowe (vice-chair)
i have to be fed by my carer because i have spasms in my arm which would be nightmare if i was to feed myself. i chose to work with francis rowe as he is a very friendly and approchable person. he was happy and willing to answer any questions that was asked.
observation
arm movement
i studied francis’s arm movement to find out how i could help him with his indenpendence during mealtimes. watching his arm movement i noticed his arm moved very randomly which made it completely impossible to feed himself.
one of the effects of Cerebral Palsy is that it affects your muscle tone. this means they often make apparently random and uncontrolled body movements.
the time fransis takes to move his arm from the table up to his mouth is approxmitaly 10 seconds depending on how severe his spasm is on the day,whereas for an able person it would take less than 1 seconds.
research
related products
there are several types of cutlery,crockery and dining products available in the market. however all these products are of no use to my user as the main issue for him is his spasmic arm.
neater
eater:
is a product designed to help during meal time. it has received several awards and acknowledgements and presently the product is in the market. however because of its size and look my users were less interested about this product. the price was another big issue as it costs approximately £4100.
neater arm support: is a product
- ‘helping arm’ - to help some people with muscular weaknesses such as muscular dystrophy. this product have a motorised mechanism but would not be helpful for the spasmic arm movement of my user group. the cost of this product is approsmitaly £3,600
ob help arm: this device is used
to support the arm in a sling and with adjustable counterbalance it gives active assisted movement. it is a very big product which would be difficult to take around with you when out and about.
prototypes
user testing
the innitial prototype consists of a stem a ball joint and a cuff to rest the arm on along with ribbons to hold the arm to the cuff. the clamp system made out of polymorph pastic was formed in a ‘c’ shape to sit on the user’s thigh. this was to allow the arm support to be positioned naturall while moving the arm when eating or doing desk top activities.
user feedback pros
cons
very good concept
the stem was too long
not seen anything like it before
the cuff was too short and uncomfortable
like the idea of portability
the clamping cuff which went around the thigh was very uncomfotrable and unsteady
better and stronger straps for holding the arm in place increased cuff size, padding for comfort and support
height adjustable system for individuals of different heights.
ball joint system for movement and flexibility.
clamp system that clamps to the users chair for firm and stable support.
like the adjustable concept.
very comfortable, much better cuff support
the ball joint is a bit too flexible for my spam. it needs to be tighter to give me enough movement but with some resistance.
height system
francis with improved prototype and developed ball joint
my user’s arm is much more controlled and supported. with the help of my flexible arm stabliser my user managed to scoop food from the bowl and take it up to his mouth using his own natural arm movement.
feedbacks
user testing
francis rowe
i am very happy with this product and concept i would like to have one. i want this product ready by 1214! this was the first time francis had been able to feed himself independentely
mike- echo centre (stroke patient)
this product will be ideal for my left arm. i could do with a support like this product. it provides enough flexiblty and its portable.
margaret davis, echo centre (cp)
its really good. the flexible arm stabliser does work. normally my arm moves randomly but this product helps control that. where can you get this? is it in the market?
john mitchell
I think this product could be used for other disablities too. for instance my left arm could have done with this support when i was recovering from the stroke, especially while eating.
ross ireland
i am a left handed person. it feel very comfortable and sturdy. this could have more applications you know.
adam de kaminski
it is comfortable. i can imagine this product being used for drawing or writing or even typing. you might have to think about the straps, i personally think it feels like i am trapped, i dont know what your user group thinks.
rei wada
if i was to use this product for eating i would be using chop sticks... it feels natural, very supportive. i like it, it works.
thomas mallinson
i thought it would be very uncomfortable, i am suprised how comfortable it is.
professional
feedback
helen winchurch
manager, adult care and support, echo centre, cornwall council.
“its a big big problem with feeding people, not only with Cerebral Palsy but also with multiple selerosis, motor neurone disease etc. this product can have a lot of applications and i really like the look of the product.”
“i can see that there can be other applications for this product, perhaps it could be used for writing, possibly even just to rest and support the arm.”
occupational therepists, royal cornwall hospital.
“this product has huge potential, especially for young people, they can choose different colours and looks according to their liking. because its portable and doesnt look like a disability product it will be a good selling point.�
“this product could be used for other nerological disabilities- parkinsons etc.
“i am aware there are other products which provides arm support but this looks to me far better than most things i have seen.”
“i have seen similar products with articulated mechanisms and they are quite big but you’ve solved the problem with a ball joint. that’s very good.”
carer, mid-cornwall lifestyle
ray bannett
“i have not seen anything like it before. I think it is a very good concept. Perhaps the ball joint should be fixed with the tube in order to be secure. The wide straps would be better than the two small ones.�
Adam Stringer Production Coordinator Design Enterprise Centre University College Falmouth adam stringer has good knowledge with rapid prototyping and designing medical products. he gave me good tips regarding the intellectual property of my concept. adam guided me on how i should think in a technical way when designing a product. the manufacturing process can be more commercially achievable and easy if the design is technically sound.
very interesting project have you thaught about protecting your idea?
jonathan barnett
director, kxbridge, tremough innovation centre meeting with jonathan barnett was very helpful as he directed me towards the different types of intellectual property and how it works.
you might want to expand the use of your product. for example you could design other attachment systems as well in order to make it more versatile.
equipments and untinsils should enhance a person’s sense of self-reliance and independence. this is unlikely to be the case if the items serve further to single the person out from their peer group disabled living foundation (dlf)
when items are being obtained for adults it is importaint to consider wherher the appearance of them makes them sutaible for someone of that age. disabled living foundation (dlf)
design
breakdown
straps for comfortable and firm support fixed with velcro cushioned pad for comfort and ease cuff for arm support outer shroud
external telescopic frame
button for height adjustment
internal telescopic tube 4x4mm screws
Ball joint components for flexible movement flange with holes for attachment to clamping system 4x4mm female nut bushes
design features
with the flexible arm stabliser forward and backward movements can be acheived by smiply moving your arm forward and backwards.
rotational movement can be acheived if the user needs the arm to swing around if desiered.
flexible arm stabliser features a height adjustable system.
technical
specifications
all dimentions in mm page 3 of 11
not to scale
flexiable arm stabliser
more technical specifications please check, research file.
page 3 of 11
assembly ball joint
all dimentions in mm
not to scale
conclusion
conclusion
flexible arm stabliser
thank you
this project has just touched the surface on my design development for flexible arm stabliser. there are several waysto develop this product further. although the concept has been tested it is still not yet a finished product. this concept if developed further could have attachments, it could be a product with a modular system.